#289 Wake Up New and See the Bigger Picture
I was looking for the fire, but all I could do was smell the smoke and know that there was a fire somewhere nearby. I didn’t realize I was looking in the wrong direction! Reflecting on this later Ephesians 5:15 came to my mind.
I was on the phone with my mother-in–law commenting on how smoky it was outside. I kept looking for where the fire might be convinced it must be toward the direction of our business buildings. Upon finishing the conversation I turned around to go back to the house, and saw that the smoke was directly behind our house! As I approached I heard the crackle of fire. Twenty feet from our house, was a grass fire, started by a neighbor. In another three minutes the fire consumed its way across the adjacent property and onto a three foot strip of our property. A number of our trees were aflame. Fire trucks arrived quickly, and my husband armed with our garden hose tended to our trees, and the fire was finally contained with minimal damage.
The verse that came to mind was Ephesians 5:14-17
Awake, sleeper, and arise from the dead,
And Christ will shine on you.
Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men, but as wise….
The King James Version uses the phrase “walk circumspectly.” The word ‘circumspect’ literally means ‘to take heed around.’ The idea is to be completely aware, Strong’s #199: to be exact. With the light of Christ shining on us we can see His bigger picture.
“Be careful how you walk, not as unwise men, but as wise, making the most of your time, because the days are evil. So then do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.”
The neighbor who started burning a corner of his grassy field did so against the advice of his neighbor who is a fire fighter. The firefighter suggested he let the fire department establish a fire break first. Contrary to this advice the neighbor burned his field anyway, on a sporadically windy day.
To be completely aware is to look in all directions, not like I did when I assumed the fire was north of us. To be completely aware is to consider counsel and advice and to lean to the understanding of the One who Ultimately Knows. “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding.” Proverbs 3:5 NASB To understand what the will of the Lord we must let go of our preconceived opinions, as a dear friend of mine put it, Not measuring up to my concept of consecration, but living the Lord’s will. Not measuring my narrow label of a person or a situation, but seeing through the eyes of my Risen Lord.
I wonder how often our preconceived ideas get in the way of recognizing the Lord’s will and perspective?
Our risen Lord desires to exercise his resurrection power in our hearts to renew and make alive in the facets of our life that are still under bondage of sin and death. Let’s let go of our OLD perceptions that are in the way of being renewed. Let’s wake up and arise and see the Bigger Picture! His desire is to make us and our perceptions NEW. 2 Corinthians 5:15-17
I was looking for the fire, but all I could do was smell the smoke and know that there was a fire somewhere nearby. I didn’t realize I was looking in the wrong direction! Reflecting on this later Ephesians 5:15 came to my mind.
I was on the phone with my mother-in–law commenting on how smoky it was outside. I kept looking for where the fire might be convinced it must be toward the direction of our business buildings. Upon finishing the conversation I turned around to go back to the house, and saw that the smoke was directly behind our house! As I approached I heard the crackle of fire. Twenty feet from our house, was a grass fire, started by a neighbor. In another three minutes the fire consumed its way across the adjacent property and onto a three foot strip of our property. A number of our trees were aflame. Fire trucks arrived quickly, and my husband armed with our garden hose tended to our trees, and the fire was finally contained with minimal damage.
The verse that came to mind was Ephesians 5:14-17
Awake, sleeper, and arise from the dead,
And Christ will shine on you.
Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men, but as wise….
The King James Version uses the phrase “walk circumspectly.” The word ‘circumspect’ literally means ‘to take heed around.’ The idea is to be completely aware, Strong’s #199: to be exact. With the light of Christ shining on us we can see His bigger picture.
“Be careful how you walk, not as unwise men, but as wise, making the most of your time, because the days are evil. So then do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.”
The neighbor who started burning a corner of his grassy field did so against the advice of his neighbor who is a fire fighter. The firefighter suggested he let the fire department establish a fire break first. Contrary to this advice the neighbor burned his field anyway, on a sporadically windy day.
To be completely aware is to look in all directions, not like I did when I assumed the fire was north of us. To be completely aware is to consider counsel and advice and to lean to the understanding of the One who Ultimately Knows. “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding.” Proverbs 3:5 NASB To understand what the will of the Lord we must let go of our preconceived opinions, as a dear friend of mine put it, Not measuring up to my concept of consecration, but living the Lord’s will. Not measuring my narrow label of a person or a situation, but seeing through the eyes of my Risen Lord.
I wonder how often our preconceived ideas get in the way of recognizing the Lord’s will and perspective?
Our risen Lord desires to exercise his resurrection power in our hearts to renew and make alive in the facets of our life that are still under bondage of sin and death. Let’s let go of our OLD perceptions that are in the way of being renewed. Let’s wake up and arise and see the Bigger Picture! His desire is to make us and our perceptions NEW. 2 Corinthians 5:15-17
