Ephesians 3:1-6

Ephesians 3:1-6 For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles — Surely you have heard about the administration of God’s grace that was given to me for you, that is, the mystery made known to me by revelation, as I have already written briefly. In reading this, then, you will be able to understand my insight into the mystery of Christ, which was not made known to men in other generations as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to God’s holy apostles and prophets. This mystery is that through the gospel the Gentiles are heirs together with Israel, members together of one body, and sharers together in the promise in Christ Jesus.

Acts 22:6-10 About noon as I came near Damascus, suddenly a bright light from heaven flashed around me. I fell to the ground and heard a voice say to me, "Saul! Saul! Why do you persecute me?" “Who are you, Lord?" I asked. “I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you are persecuting," he replied. My companions saw the light, but they did not understand the voice of him who was speaking to me. “What shall I do, Lord?" I asked. “Get up," the Lord said, "and go into Damascus. There you will be told all that you have been assigned to do."

Acts 22:14-16 Then he said: "The God of our fathers has chosen you to know his will and to see the Righteous One and to hear words from his mouth. You will be his witness to all men of what you have seen and heard. And now what are you waiting for? Get up, be baptized and wash your sins away, calling on his name."

Do you struggle with doubt, aimlessness, a lack of purpose in your life? Are you unsure of where you should go next in your journey? Are you even doubting God's call on your life? In the Ephesians passage, we see Paul with a firm understanding of his purpose in life: to reveal that the Gentiles are heirs together with the Jews of eternal life IN CHRIST. But when Paul first met Christ on the road to Damascus, the Holy Spirit literally dismantled his orderly, purposeful life. "What should I do (now) Lord?" was his cry. Jesus responded, "Get up, and go into Damascus. There you will be told all that you have been assigned to do." In this time of confusion, God directed Paul to Ananias who would tell him his purpose, his mission in life. "The God of our fathers has chosen you to know his will and to see the Righteous One and to hear words from his mouth. You will be his witness to all men of what you have seen and heard." This assignment was especially difficult because it would cost Paul everything, even his life.

Not all of us have an Ananias in our lives, but IN CHRIST we all have the Spirit of God to comfort, guide, and teach us. In academic research there are primary sources and secondary sources. Primary sources are the original witnesses of the events; secondary sources are second-hand contributors, those who share someone else's understanding of what happened or was said. The Holy Spirit within us is our primary source: we do not necessarily need an Ananias in our lives except for reinforcement or support. For each of us, the question remains: what is God saying to me about my mission in life? What do I do with my life that will benefit the body of Christ? How do I use the gifts God has bestowed upon me? As Paul was chosen to know God's will, so have we been chosen to know God's will for our lives. Scriptures tell us that we are part of the body of Christ and that every one of us is needed for the body to function well. Some of us are more conspicuous than others: the mouth, the hands, the feet, and so on; however, others might be the organs, the glands, or some other less visible part of the body. Yet all are needed, all are essential for God's body to function effectively on Earth, bringing glory to his name.

If we do not function well, fulfilling God's purposes for our lives, we will fall into a life of doubt, aimlessness, and lethargy. We will wonder where God is, why He is not evident in our lives in the way we desire. God will not bless anything that is not his will, and his will for us is to do his work and to live his life vigorously here on Earth. To obey and reflect him consistently re quires faith, action, and commitment. Faith pleases God. Sitting back as a spectator, doing little or nothing, is not faith: spectating is not functioning and fulfilling our role in Christ's body. Our biological bodies are in constant motion, never completely still, even when we are sitting. Today as you read this devotion, your body is functioning in a lively manner. All your cells are activated as your heart pumps blood throughout every part of your body: none are sitting on the sidelines spectating. As our bodies function, so do we IN CHRIST. We are to do God's will and to fulfill his purposes wherever He has called us to serve him. Today, use your gifts, inclinations, and smallest spiritual urges to perform the will of God, and He will bless you. You will feel God's hand upon your life and know his will, just as Paul did.