4th Thursday of Lent (March 26) “Sleeper, awake!”

Prepare to Listen.  Take time to still your heart and mind then prayer with the psalmist: Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones that you have crushed rejoice.
 
Prayerfully Read Ephesians 5:8-14
8For once you were darkness, but now in the Lord you are light.  Live as children of light--9for the fruit of the light is found in all that is good and right and true.  10Try to find out what is pleasing to the Lord.  11Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them.  12For it is shameful even to mention what such people do secretly; 13but everything exposed by the light becomes visible, 14for everything that becomes visible is light.  Therefore it says, ‘Sleeper, awake!  Rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.’
 
Prayerfully Wonder
‘Once you were darkness, but now in the Lord you are light.’  We weren’t in darkness and now in light.  We were darkness (ignorant, evil, corrupt, liars) and now we are light (‘all that is good and right and true’).  And we’re light because we’re in the Lord Jesus.  This comes with a two-fold responsibility.  First, ‘try to find out what is pleasing to the Lord.’  This isn’t looking for a needle in a haystack type of deal.  Rather, it means testing things, facts, words, etc., in order to discern and approve all that is light, what is good, right and true.  Therefore, remain diligent in reading and responsibly interpreting and obeying God’s Word and avoid being deceived by empty words (Eph 5:4).  Second, ‘Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them.’  Only once we’ve discerned what is light, will we be able to discern and expose what is darkness.  We learn what is darkness, not by studying evil and lies, but by becoming more and more familiar with what is good, right, true.  Exposing and confronting evil (darkness) is a responsibility of all Christ’s followers, a task we’re all called to.  Therefore, says Paul, ‘Sleeper, awake!  Rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.’
 
Prayerfully Reflect
Our culture desperately needs people who are now light, living as light and courageously exposing and confronting darkness.  How can you be good and righteous and true in your place today?
 
Respond to Jesus
Jesus, Light of the World, you have transformed me to be light in you, light like you.  Help me live today as your light, good, right and true for you today and thus expose evil and lies and ignorance.  Amen.
 
Go live obediently in the world, awake and alert to the good, the right, the truth.