Day 8 – Ephesians 4:1; Matthew 6:33

4 As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. ^[1]

^6:33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.^[2]

Do you ever feel lethargic, as if you need a spark of energy to get you motivated and moving? Does it seem at times that you cannot do what you need to do, not because you don’t know what to do, but because you feel incapacitated? You may not feel this way all the time, but you have your days, and if the answer to the above questions is in the affirmative then perhaps you have lost your focus. It is not unusual to feel lethargic and unmotivated. In fact, many people often find themselves in this predicament. But as the people of God we should not want to remain in this place and we do not have to.

The Apostle Paul was writing his letter to the church in Ephesus as a prisoner of the state. He physically could not do what he wanted or had been anointed and appointed to do because he was legally constrained. If anyone had a good reason to lose their drive, feel sorry for themselves, and surrender, Paul did. But Paul was also a prisoner for the Lord in another sense and it was this type of imprisonment that enabled him to maintain his focus despite his physical limitations. When someone is a prisoner they lose all self-determination. They are told what to do and when to do it. Their every move is watched and scrutinized. Their physical space is subject to continuous inspection. They have no will of their own.

When one is focused on Christ and His Kingdom they become a prisoner for the Lord. The difference between being a prisoner for something and a prisoner of something is that the former is voluntary. One chooses to “live a life worthy of the calling [they] have received.” One chooses to “seek first [God’s] Kingdom and [God’s] righteousness.” Whatever else they intend to do, whatever else they hope to achieve, whatever else they hope to receive emanates from this choosing to be focused on the Kingdom of God as a prisoner for Him. The year is young, why not submit all your hopes and dreams to the only one that can open the way for them to happen by focusing on Him as a prisoner for Him?

Lord Jesus, I confess to being lethargic and lazy. I often lack motivation and often feel sorry for myself and am tempted to be jealous and envious of the accomplishments of others. Help me to recapture and readjust my focus so that I see myself as a prisoner for You. You know my hopes and my dreams. You know the secret desires of my heart. Cause me to surrender them all to you trusting You to fulfill Your Word in me. Amen.

© 2014 – Dr. James H. Logan, Jr.