“Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is” (Ephesians 5:15-17).

“Live as children of light.” (Ephesians 5:8)

Here lately I often hear people say, “These are crazy times.” I’ve said it myself. Well, the times are crazy in the sense that they certainly are unusual. There has been a run on groceries, so now some of the things we take for granted as always available are a little more difficult to come by. I had heard of rationing, but other than gasoline, this is the first time I have experienced it. (We can be thankful that currently there is plenty of fuel to go around.) We may not have exactly what we want to eat, but we do have something to eat. And we can still get water by turning on the faucet rather than walking half a day to a water source. We may not have toilet paper, but we have plumbing. Social distancing is a new thing to me; as are restrictions on meeting together in groups, sequestering the elderly, and closing places of business with high and close customer traffic like bars.

So, while these times are not what we have typically experienced, they are our new normal (at least until tomorrow). So how do we live wisely, making the most of every opportunity to understand and to do the Lord’s will? One way I like to think about this question is to anticipate how I would evaluate myself a few months from now. Looking back, what would I wish I had done differently or better? Here are my thoughts, and I welcome yours.

1. Put total trust in God (and leave it with Him). That doesn’t mean we don’t take reasonable precautions such as social distancing and disinfecting, etc. What it does mean is spending more time with God in prayer than we do watching the news or rehashing current events (more than is productive) with our friends/coworkers. Recalling what God told King Jehoshaphat is encouraging. “Listen, King Jehoshaphat and all who live in Judah and Jerusalem! This is what the Lord says to you: ‘Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God’s…. You will not have to fight this battle. Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the Lord will give you, Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Go out to face them tomorrow, and the Lord will be with you.’” (2 Chronicles 20:15, 17) As believers, we can claim the victory now, because our God is with us and He fights with us. Our faith is what sets us apart.
2. Live with confidence in the knowledge that God will provide. “So Abraham called that place The Lord Will Provide (Jehovah-jireh). And to this day it is said, ‘On the mountain of the Lord it will be provided’” (Genesis 22:14). Jehovah-jireh is one of my favorite names for God, given by Abraham when God supplied the lamb as a substitute for Isaac on Mount Moriah. Over and over in the Bible, whether it be manna in the wilderness to the lilies in the field to the feeding of the five thousand, God provides. It could be that this situation we are facing is a test of our willingness to demonstrate our faith in our good God. Yes, the stock market is fluctuating wildly. Yes, many people risk losing their jobs or at least their current livelihood as restaurants cut back. Yes, the shelves might be empty when we are shopping for necessities. But there is a reason we are told so many times “Do Not Be Afraid.” That means no panic, no hoarding. It means cheerfully giving what we have to someone else who needs it more. We may be the way in which God provides to someone else. The way we handle adversity is a testimony of our faith in our good God.
3. Look for opportunities to be grateful. Some of them are listed in the first paragraph of this devotional. One of my friends is now intentionally posting beautiful images on Facebook to counteract all the negative news. “… give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus” (1 Thessalonians 5:18). There is enough negativity. Let’s make an extra effort to look for God at work and take every opportunity to proclaim His goodness.
4. Be especially kind to one another; encourage each other and especially our leaders. We are accountable for all our words and deeds. We can use our words to build up or to tear down. Every story that I hear from you about how you have overcome a challenge is so encouraging to me. Imagine the encouragement your stories of overcoming this challenge and how God has provided will bring to others; your focus on your blessings and how you can bless others will encourage others and help all of us to bear up together, for this is truly no small thing. “Have confidence in your leaders and submit to their authority, because they keep watch over you as those who must give an account. Do this so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no benefit to you” (Hebrews 13:17). “Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing” (1 Thessalonians 5:11). “By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another” (John 13:35).
5. Treat each new day as our new normal, rather than taking the perspective that the coronavirus and the tornadoes are temporary interruptions to merely “get through” on our way back to the way things were. Christina Fox, writing for the Desiring God website, says: “Though these interruptions are unexpected and catch me off guard, they do not catch God off guard. They are not random, meaningless events. In fact, these interruptions are divinely placed in my path for a reason. God uses these interruptions to change me to be more like Christ.”

Thank you for all the ways in which you demonstrate these things on a daily basis, and my hope is that this devotional is just a gentle reminder that we can always do just a little bit more to glorify God by living as children of light, in a way that glorifies God, living wisely, making the most of every opportunity to understand and to do the Lord’s will.

In Christ,

Judy Cline