Walk!

Walk!

As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. Ephesians 4:1‭ NIV

The Context and Focus:

Paul is credited with writing the letter to the church in Ephesus, and it is quite peculiar that he introduces himself as 'a prisoner for the Lord'. History indicates he was in an actual prison at the time the letter was written, but for all who claim allegiance to the Lord, there is a measure of precision, loyalty and total surrender to the Lordship of Jesus that must be in place, and visible in the commitment and dedication such a person must show to the things of God. For Paul, it was an actual prison; for me, what limits are there on my life? Have I surrendered totally and completely to the Saviour? If I am still in charge of my life, there is a limit to my impact and usefulness in the hands of God. God may not be able to fully utilise a vessel He does not own or control. A prisoner is under the control of the guard; if the guard says it is time to wake up, or time to sleep, there is really no argument. Do I bear true allegiance to the Lord? Can He tell me what to do, when to do it, and how, and am I quick to obey? I must always remember that this relationship is not forced.

The Message:

It is a willing surrender, but to a benevolent dictator, whose law and love are like nothing the world can emulate or copy. Am I totally surrendered? My surrender defines my walk. Paul's life is a testament to this fact. After his road to Damascus experience, he was totally sold out to the work of the Lord. He went on many missionary journeys, preaching the Word of God and by the power of the Holy Spirit, also performing miracles. For all who are alive on earth today, there is a call of God upon our lives. My past and present have no bearing on God's call, in the sense that nothing in my past or present can change what God has planned for me. The devil may try to deceive and distract, keeping me focused on errors and shortcomings, but when I come to the knowledge of God's will for me, I am set free from the bondage of the enemy, and I can walk with and work for God with His strength and ability flowing unhindered through me. Life becomes less complex because I do not have to impress anyone; I simply focus on the One who called me to Himself, and work on pleasing Him on a daily basis. 

The Conclusion:

This is the conclusion of the verse above. There is a calling on every life that is created by God, but like all callings, I have the duty to listen to the call, heed it and respond the right way. God does not force Himself on anyone, or compel anyone to see His point of view. He has done all He can to help me make the right decisions, supplying grace and mercy in abundant measure but I must still choose him of my own freewill. If he compels me, where is the power of choice? When things go wrong, as they would sometimes do, would I not blame God for forcing me to do what I did not want to do? I note also that I am asked to WALK worthy, not WORK. The focus is first on my walk with God, not my work for God. The walk is personal, while the work is usually public. You can fake the work, but you cannot fake the walk. My walk must match God's calling on my life, which means that I must keep going back to the One who called, so I can remain relevant and connected to Him, and if He has a work for me, I am available. This is the right order of things. How is my walk? How's yours? God's time of favour is here.