March 3: 1 Thessalonians 5 4-11

Key Verse: 1 Thessalonians 5 7
For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, get drunk at night.

Devotion:
How many people do you know who openly do things wrong in the sight of people of authority? I guess we all do know someone who has done something wrong and who has been caught and even punished, but I don’t think many of us know people who continually go out of their way to do things wrong in plain sight. I would hope we are not the one’s who do this!

If we are going to do wrong, we will probably choose a time and place where we will not be seen, heard and caught! When thieves go out to steal stuff, they normally choose a time when they will not be seen; either choosing night time or a time when people are not at home. They don’t want to be caught! We do not know when people are going to try and break into our houses or into our places of work because they do not advertise the fact they are going to break in!

We don’t have to be caught up in that sort of lifestyle. We have the choice of not joining in. We have the choice of staying in the light and being protected by that light! We choose to sleep at night because it is normally more productive to work during the day time and you are held accountable by your actions because people can see you in the light of day. Yes, people such as hospital staff do work night shifts such and I take my hat off to them for doing so and looking out for me last year too! But as a rule, we prefer to work during the day time.

God has not chosen us to be thieves in the night. He has not chosen us to be drunkards during the night hours. He has chosen us to be careful of what we do and how we live so we can be an example to others. He has chosen us to put on the protection offered to us by His light. He has chosen us to put on the armour of God in all its parts, remembering how Christ died for us to keep us safe and so we can live together in relative peace and safety. The evil one has other plans and continues to throw a spanner in the works whenever he can – but if we uphold God’s ways and His will in our lives, we should be a lot better off!

Points to Ponder:
Do you hide in the shadows?

Or do you bring forth God’s light?