Life's Daily Challenge Devotional

The need for purpose

"See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is," Ephesians 5:15-17.

To the wise,

The word “redeem” in the Greek language means, “To buy up; ransom; to rescue from loss (improve opportunity) or redeem (Strong’s Concordance).

Most people are pressured trying to keep up with the pace of their lives. Time seems to be the enemy. In reality, time is not the culprit at all. We all have exactly the same amount of it each day. Rather there is a hard task master that places heavy loads on people...loads that they were not designed to bear. Satan has driven people down through the ages. He rules the world’s system that was symbolized in Pharaoh many years ago (Exodus 5:1-14). This system demands hard labor with no rest. He robs people not only of the outward rest that is needed for health, but also of inner peace. People race both internally and externally. He accomplishes this be giving them less to work with, yet demanding that they keep up with a daily quota. In other words, he strips and robs humanity of energy, finance and resource. At the same time he places them under a heavy yoke of expectation.

Perhaps the prophet Haggai said it best when he wrote, “You have sown much, and bring in little; You eat but do not have enough; You drink, but are not filled with drink; You clothe yourselves, but no one is warm; and he who earns wages, earns wages to put into a bag with holes, (Haggia 1:6).”

Our opening verse states that we can redeem our time in this midst of these evil days. The solution is simple. We must understand what the will of the Lord is. When we know what we are specifically called to do, we can cease being reactionary. Understanding what your God-given purpose is helps you know how to use your time. It also gives you great understanding into what not to do with it.

What most people call living is really only existing. They blindly grope through each day. They perform and struggle. This is the backdrop upon which Jesus said, "Come unto Me all you who are weary and heavy laden and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light, Matthew 11:28-30." He wants to teach us how to be more specific with our lives...to learn to be intentional. He wants us to learn how to do the Father’s will. This is the place where we become effective for His kingdom. Simultaneously we learn the pleasure of discovering what life was truly meant to be.