April 19, 2024
Pastor Darin Youngberg
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Daily Bread April 26, 2017
Posted on Wednesday, April 26, 2017 by Bro_D
Ephesians 4:18 They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart.
When my Bible fell open and this was the first verse on the page, my heart sank. I can’t imagine my life being alienated from the life of God. The emptiness would consume me. The hopelessness would destroy me. I broke out in a little praise song right here at my desk --- “Thank You LORD for saving my soul, thank You LORD for making me whole, thank You LORD for giving to me Your great salvation so full & free!”
I began to think about the many people I know that really are alienated from the life of God …. And they are being consumed by the darkness and they are hopeless. They see His goodness all around them. In their families, in their co-workers and sometimes even in their spouse – yet – they don’t get it. Their heart are hardened to …… well …. Everything about God. In verse 19 Paul says they can’t even “feel” the depth of the darkness around – they’ve been totally taken over by it. Again, I broke out in praise -- “Thank You LORD for saving my soul, thank You LORD for making me whole, thank You LORD for giving to me Your great salvation so full & free!” --- BECAUSE THAT COULD BE ME!
I’m nothing special. I deal with the darkness of this world on a daily basis – and many times I fall to the attacks. I can’t fight this battle in my own strength, I know that, but many times I go at all by myself; and each time … I fail. But praise be to Jesus Christ, His victory is now mine! I do not want these people to go on being alienated from the life of God – I want them to know Him … even more than I know Him. I want them to experience Him way more than I experience Him. So, I will pray … like Paul did for the people he is writing to …. Ephesians 1:16-20 I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers, (17) that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, (18) having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, (19) and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might (20) that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places,…
I know Paul was praying for the believers in Ephesus, but this prayer cuts right to heart of what I believe the LORD wants those alienated to know.
Sometimes the Word we feast on is both satisfying and sobering. As we feast on His goodness, we ought to be reminded of those that are starving. As we drink in His life, we ought to be reminded of those who are dying. As we fellowship with Him at His table, we ought to turning our attention to those who are alienated – and begin to do what we can as He leads to bring them to the table. Go ahead, go feast, you will be blessed, but don’t be surprised if you are also convicted.