Pleasing God

Good Morning,
...(OK, Good Afternoon for those who might check on these things!...Just kidding!)

Ephesians 5:8-17 (NIV)
For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) and find out what pleases the Lord. Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. For it is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. But everything exposed by the light becomes visible, for it is light that makes everything visible. This is why it is said: "Wake up, O sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you."
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.

"...and find out what pleases the Lord." Some translations read, "Try to find out what pleases the Lord." I wondered about that as it seems pretty clear what does and does not please the Lord, don't you think? But of course, it's not quite that simple. There's more to it than that. Yes, some things are evident, it goes without saying. We are to love God and each other. We are to do good. We are to do all we can to keep from sin. We are to help each other. We are to give to those in need. Well, you know, the "good things."

However, as I read these verses and wondered about the "try to find out" part; the "find out" part, it seemed all of a sudden that it might NOT be quite so plain as to those things that will please the Lord. You see, I knew without a doubt that there are things that I must do to please God which might not be imperative for you to do to please Him. Maybe I'm supposed to go out and evangelize on a street corner somewhere and do more to preach the Gospel to the lost world. (Now, I AM just using that as an example here! I don't feel God pushing or nudging me in that direction.) Well, that very well might NOT be something that you need to do in order to please God. What I hear this morning is that there definitely ARE some things that I must find which I'm supposed to do to please the Lord. I'm also hearing the same for you.

So, does that mean we aren't supposed to do the more apparent things that we know please God. Certainly not! That's foolishness, of course. What it DOES mean is that there are specific things that we are to find which are unique to each of us that we must do in order to truly please God. To relate it to something that we've spoken about in the past, it's kind of like the gifts (not the fruit) of the Holy Spirit. We don't all have the same gifts, we know that. We also know that we are to use the gift or gifts that God has blessed us with. It's the same with finding out what pleases the Lord. It's the same because some of the things that each of us is to do to please the Lord just aren't the same for others of us.

When we pray and ask God to show us and explain to us what we are to do in order to please Him, believe me, He will do it. We will know, without any doubts, what we are to do that will bring that smile to God's face and will please Him because of our obedience to His direction. Then, you see, we will better understand and know exactly, what is meant when we read, "Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord's will is." If we fully understand, because God has shown us, what we are to do to please Him, then we will also understand His will...at least as far as it pertains to us as individuals.

Jesus told us that we are the "light of the world" and we read today that we are "light in the Lord." So let us go out and do whatever it is God wants of us that will please Him. When we do, then we know we will be carrying out His will for our lives.

Love, peace, and blessings,

David