For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light . . . and find out what pleases the Lord. (Eph. 5:8, 10)
Expanded Passage: Ephesians 5:8-14
President Kennedy’s challenge to go to the moon came less than a month after Alan Shepard became the first American in space. Shepard’s flight lasted fifteen minutes and reached a maximum altitude of 116 miles. This was certainly a tremendous accomplishment, but a lunar mission would last at least a week, and the moon was 238,900 miles away. In order to land a man on the moon, NASA had a lot to learn.
Following God’s example involves more than leaving behind ungodly things and choosing good partners. Paul advised the Ephesians to “live as children of light” or do the things they knew God would approve. However, even this was not enough. Christians also needed to keep learning about God’s character and commands so they could please him even more by consistently becoming more like him. For the Ephesians, this meant studying written resources such as the Old Testament, as well as any writings available to them, which would later become part of the New Testament. Today, these have been gathered into the Bible and made available in a variety of forms. It also meant listening to sermons and teachings and closely observing those who were more advanced in their faith; Christians today should do likewise.
Christians will do their God-enabled best to live according to what they know of God’s character and commands and to keep growing in their knowledge of the same.
Keep learning and living out God’s character and commands.
Jeremy Geerdes is a pastor in Des Moines, Iowa. He is passionate about holiness and his family.
© 2026 Wesleyan Publishing House. Reprinted from Light from the Word. Used by permission. Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®.
