Psalm 42:5 (NIV)
5 Why, my soul, are you downcast?
Why so disturbed within me?
Put your hope in God,
for I will yet praise him,
my Savior and my God.
Ephesians 5:8-14 (NIV)
8 For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light 9 (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) 10 and find out what pleases the Lord. 11 Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. 12 It is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. 13 But everything exposed by the light becomes visible—and everything that is illuminated becomes a light. 14 This is why it is said:
“Wake up, sleeper,
rise from the dead,
and Christ will shine on you.”
Today, I invite you to reflect on Psalm 42 and 43 and continue to immerse yourself in Ephesians.
As I read Psalm 42 and 43, I hear resolve in the voice of the psalmist and the exhortation to his soul to, “Put your hope in God…”
It is interesting to ponder this poetic language. What would you say to your soul today?
I hear resolve in Paul’s words of exhortation to the church in Ephesus, “Live as children of light”.
There is determination and warning here not to be caught up in a life that is far from God (see also Isaiah 29:13).
Paul’s quote in Ephesians 5:14 has always stood out to me and the imagery of waking up and having Christ shine on us. So often in my life, I have become distracted. This exhortation resonates deeply with me.
What stands out to you today from God’s word? Who is He bringing to your mind to lift up to Him in prayer?
I invite you to worship the Lord as you listen to these songs and pause in prayer today:
The Lord bless you!
Ephesians 3:14-21
