"As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace" (Ephesians 4,1-3 / NIV).

The apostle made no apology for pleading with people to do what was truly important. We fill our days with all kinds of activities. Men and women of today are dreadfully busy. The challenges of the workplace and then, the to-do-lists waiting on us at home, fill our calendars, exhaust our energies, and clog our ability for discernment. As a matter of fact, there are people whose ineffectiveness is a direct result of their hectic lifestyle.

I came upon this passage this morning, reading my Hungarian devotional. Never had I experienced the Spirit talking to me through the familiar words of the apostle Paul as today. Please forgive me for saying this, but I felt, as He was playing a game, a kind of pick-a-boo on me. Let me show you what’s going on here!

A careful reading of the first sentence shows the apostle being at two places at the same time. He is a prisoner, hundreds of miles away, in Rome. Yet, he is also a friend, standing next to his readers, pleading (PARAKALEO), almost begging for attention. With loving concerns he implores them to be everything the Lord desires of them. The verb “urge” connotes the idea of a friend coming to and staying at someone’s side with the expressed desire to help. Far away, and at our side, at the same time.

This is the Holy Spirit in action. When we carelessly wonder into the jungle of life, and there, preoccupied with our newfound importance forget blessings and callings from above, He suddenly shows up. Even now, He urges us to live “in a manner worthy of the calling”.

You are a child of God. You are saved to be different. The work and very presence of Christ are to be manifested in and through you. His Spirit is on your side, urging you to answer the call that enables you to walk worthy of your new life.

Lord! When I find myself in the jungle of the temporary, open my eyes to see my Heavenly Companion, and help me to obey Him. Amen.