"Getting The Most Bang Out of Your Life"

Scripture: "Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil." -Ephesians 5:15 & 16, NIV

For the ladies in the Devotional Family, you all should have love for one word: SALE. Brothers, you ought to have love for this word as well. I know I do :-) In any case, some of the prettiest things and most essential things we get for our homes, selves, and others are found on sale. As we capitalize on these sales, we often say to ourselves that we "got the most bang for our buck". Just like we get the most bang for our buck from finding sales, God wants us to get the most bang out of your life. How do I know you ask? Let's examine today's text.

Our week of devotional journeys conclude with the book of Ephesians. This was a letter written by the Apostle Paul to the church at Ephesus. Ephesus was the church that Jesus said "I have seen your great works, but you left your first love" in Revelations 3. Within this chapter, Paul gives exhortation to brotherly love, cautions against committing multiple sins, directions to a contrary behavior, and describes the duties of husbands and wives that enforces the spiritual relation between Christ and the church. Today's text is found within the section dealing with cautions against committing multiple sins. Within this section, we will obtain an understanding of how to get the most bang out of our lives.

Paul begins the text by telling the Ephesians and us to "Be very careful, then how you live - not as unwise but as wise". What a profound statement! Our Heavenly Father is watching us and every move we make on an everyday basis. He is checking us out if we have spent money unnecessarily on things. He is checking us out if we are watching the way we walk and the way we talk. He is checking us out to see that husbands are loving their wives like Christ love the church. He is checking us out to see that wives are submitting to their husbands. He is checking to see if we are honoring our parents as the Ten Commandments have stated. He's checking us out! Not only God, but the people that surrounds us on an everyday basis! We have a God to glorify and if we are not doing things wisely, how can God get glory out of our lives?

Then, Paul continues on and says to us and the Ephesian church that in getting the most bang out of your life, you are to strive towards "making the most of every opportunity". In other words, make the most of the idle time you may have after work. Make the most of your time by spending it with loved ones. Make the most of your time by visiting the sick in the hospital or at their homes. Make the most of your time by supporting your children in all they do. Make the most of your time by supporting your local church and letting them you will give them the best of you. Make the most of your time by stepping on faith into business ventures where your family won't lack in anything. Make the most of your time where your work at work is excellent and is recognized! Make the most of your time by praying to Almighty God on behalf of your brother and sister. All I am trying to say is the make the most of every opportunity, the most of everyday because God wants you to get the most bang out of your life!

The reason why God wants you to get the most bang out of your life "because the days are evil". Each and every day becomes a struggle because of the wickedness that resides in this crazy world. I am blessed to know that we live in this world, but we are NOT of this world. Though the days get more evil with the things going on, we have a covering in our Heavenly Father that loves us beyond measure and provides us with life, health, and strength that we may be able to make the most out of our lives. He gives us what we need in order to survive. Because of that, we ought to give Him our best and make the most of this precious gift called life!

In closing, as much as we love to get the most bang for our buck, we ought to want to get the most bang out of our lives. Paul told us to achieve this by watching how we live and make wise decisions and to make the most of every opportunity. My prayer for you on this day is that you maximize the gifts God placed in you and make the most of the life He has given you!