Matters of the Heart - Pt 7

Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ. (Ephesians 5:15-21 ESV).

My friend, Alex Pazdan, and I have been collaborating on a book. Obviously writing is not foreign to me. I have completed three published works, numerous articles and sermons, and I write these Morning Devotionals for each day. However, I must say this last work was significantly different than anything I’ve done in the past. Not only is it much longer than anything else I’ve written, coming in at just over 100,000 words, it is also a work of fiction. It is presently in the hands of the developmental editor. That part of the process should take two or three months. Then we’ll work with the formatting department, graphics designer for the cover art, and the legal team to get it ready for press release and distribution. Start to finish estimates are sometime early summer. I have a much better appreciation for the definition of the word “perseverance” now than ever. And, that brings me to the last of our little series began at the beginning of this month, Matters of the Heart. A health heart spiritually requires perseverance, or diligence. Certainly that is the meaning of the Apostle Paul’s encouragement in our reading today: Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil (v. 15). While there are many applications to this principle, let me merely highlight two. It is in the area of your prayer life. Paul writes to the church in Thessalonica, encouraging them to “pray without ceasing” (cf. 1 Thessalonians 5:17). Perhaps it is that I find myself challenged in this area that I go here first. I want to pray more; I want to pray with greater depth and understanding. However, I often find my mind wandering to the list of things I need to do. I know the answer to a healthier prayer life is in the doing of it. Just like there were days when I sat at my desk to write and didn’t really feel like writing, as I began the story unfolded and by the end of the day I had another 5,000 words done pushing the story to the final sentence of the last chapter. The other encouragement I would have for you is refusing to lose heart (cf. Luke 18:1). When writing the book my friend would call, since he had not heard from me with any updates for him to proofread in several days, and say, “Just wanted to make sure you hadn’t gotten ‘writer’s block’.” I never had difficulty with the story, but the encouragement to press on sometimes escaped me. Determine to persevere! Don’t lose heart! Heaven is on the horizon!