Are you worthy?

“As a prisoner for the Lord, then I urge you to live worthy of the calling you have received”

Ephesians 4:1

            Have you ever met someone that had a deep appreciation for life? This person lives life to the fullest, not for sensual pleasures, but because they realize they might not be here forever. They might spend time loving on their family or taking care of others. In many cases, these people just had a second chance in life. They could have been a cancer patient or just released from prison. These people that I am speaking of, know don’t want to waste away and, they make every breathe they have count for the rest of their lives. Does anyone you know live like this?

            The people that fall into this category for me, that truly inspire me, are those that are persecuted for their faith in Christ. In this chapter from Ephesians, Paul speaks about living in Christ. How you need to be humble, gentle, kind, loving, etc. This first part of the first verse really hit home in my heart because he called himself a prisoner, and indeed he has spent a lot of time in jail for his faith in Christ. The persecuted Church has always had this kind of place in my heart. They live their all for God. Every breath, every move, even every fabric of their existence is to live for Him.

            The second part of the verse hits even a bigger cord in my heart: “... then I urge you to live worthy of the calling you have received.” I am ashamed to say this; I do not live worthy of the calling. I do not live like I have the spirit of Christ in me. I take for granted every day the breath I breathe and the gift of salvation that I have. I have seen God; he has touched my life and continuously does it. I have seen God take the scariest looking people and make them sob like babies. I have seen him move in others. I have seen selfishness turn to selflessness, pride into humility, bitterness into forgiveness, etc. I do not live my life worthy of this. The persecuted churches live for God and realize what they have every day. They are beaten, killed, jailed, and starved for it. I on the other hand, at times, is forgetful.

            The point of this devo is not to just hate on me. I challenge you, if you are a Christian, are you living your life worthy of Jesus? The gift and presence that you have inside you, that new life, are you living for it, or are you like me just passing through life? For the person who does not believe in God, do you live life with the appreciation of every breath you breathe? Just some food for thought.