Joy, Joy, Joy Down In My Heart
Ephesians 5:15-20
“Be careful then how you live, not as unwise people but as wise, making the most of the time, because the days are evil” (vv. 15-16). This opening sentence of our reading today is a call to pay attention to how you live, to be intentional, making the most of the time. These are not the end times; but then what kind of time is it that we find ourselves living in?
The times feel precarious with unsettled, uncertain, and confusing perspectives bouncing all around us. The divisions show up in politics, racial relationships, the poor and the wealthy. At the same time, it feels like everything we say or do is judged. The results of living in such a moment as this is exhaustion. When we are worn out, it is hard to live in hope. So what do we do in the face of this time? How do we pay attention and be intentional about how we live?
Paying attention and being intentional is more than just trying harder and ignoring everything else around us. The writer of Ephesians, she reminds us what is possible, and she says we should live our vocation as the church. The author describes that calling as singing psalms, hymns, spirituals, giving thanks, eucharisto is the word the writer uses here in verse 20, eucharist is another word for gathering at the table, giving thanks for God’s love remembered there. Earlier in the letter, she emphasizes caring for the destitute as a sign of growing maturity in faith. It includes also nurturing growth through prayer and study. When we do these things, we remember our identity as beloved children of God and share the Good News of divine love.
The risk of not living our vocation is to be lost. The author here describes it as being like we are drunk. When you’re drunk, you are reeling, off balance, and engaging in regrettable behavior. In the perspective of time as described here in Ephesians, you are unfocused and out of step with God. There are real risks right now that we would take such a path. We are already feeling uncertain, unsettled, and confused. Plenty of other options exist and beckon to us to follow. But when we move in sync with God, we trust that God guides us through such a time as this time.
Reflection Questions:
What helps you stay in sync with God and maintain your trust in God?
What intentional faith practices have you engaged in during the pandemic? What faith practices have you left behind?
What parts of your life feel like you are reeling, off-balance, or engaging in regrettable behavior?
How can you help one another be intentional about your faith practices?