Living like today is your last day on earth. Ephesians 5, 15-20

A man had a check up at the doctor, and when he went to get his results the doctor said, “I have bad news and worse news. Which would you like first?”.
“I’ll have the bad news first, I guess” the man replied.
“Well, the bad news is that your tests confirm that you only have 24 hours to live”
“What? This is terrible…etc. What could be worse than that?"
“I meant to tell you yesterday, but I forgot”.

Last week Ali’s dad was rushed into hospital struggling to catch his breath, feeling terrible. Heart problem quickly diagnosed and pacemaker fitted. This week I read in paper about a super-fit 40-something out jogging, collapsed and died of natural causes.

 The fact of the matter is that we often make assumptions about how long we have to live, but we may not have long at all. Ali’s dad reflected the other day that he is going to live every day like it is his last. I wonder what that might mean to you, living every day like it is your last. It would certainly concentrate the mind on what is and what isn’t important. Often this turn of phrase is used to describe care-free, fun-filled living, partying and behaving irresponsibly. Is that what you would mean?
Paul is exhorting his hearers to really examine their value systems and to be careful, effectively living each day as if it is their last, focussing on what is most important, making the most of their time “as the days are evil”. If we don’t do it we are in danger of falling into sin, of missing the mark, of becoming disconnected from God.

One of our sons used to sleep walk; we sometimes found him wandering around the house in a somewhat confused state, and he had no recollection in the morning.
The other used to sleep-talk, uttering stuff that had no apparent meaning.

As Christians we are liable to sleep-walking in our faith, unaware of what is actually going on around us and unaware of what we are doing. Many, many Christians have fallen into this trap, identifying themselves as Christians, joining churches, developing ministry areas, and yet not spending any time nurturing their faith or growing in their relationship with God and so over time find that their lifestyles do not reflect what they profess to believe. Many Christians are disconnected from God. Is that how you would want to spend your final day on earth?

The other trap that we can fall into is that of sleep-talking; by not really being aware of what we want to say and who it is we want to say it to we manage to make the gospel completely unintelligible. Many churches do this, too, speaking a language that only they can understand (like “salvation”, redemption” “sin”, “repentance”), using a medium that suits them but not necessarily their hearers (like traditional Sunday services or songs that fail to connect with the present generation). God calls us to live in His love and also to share that love, drawing others into that same relationship with Him. Would you want to spend your final day having nothing intelligible to say to those around you?

So what do we do? It’s simple. Don’t give in to the stuff around us that feels good, that makes us comfortable and yet bears no fruit. Don’t spend your life drunk, he says, meaning it both literally as this is an abuse of the body and mind God gave you, and figuratively as this severely limits how much you can focus on God. If we fill ourselves with wine or with anything else, how much room can there be for God?
“Be filled with the Spirit” he says, singing spiritual songs and making melody in your hearts, giving thanks to God at all times. Paul knows how easy it is the become distracted by the world and to take things for granted, to turn what is a good news story into something that weighs us and those around us down. He knows that church members can get caught up in the minutiae to the extent that they lose contact with God. Church members can feel let-down that they are not being provided for in the way that they used to be or in the way that they feel entitled to. And the solution? Be filled with the spirit, singing songs in your hearts and giving thanks.
Paul is using a pro-active, positive approach here. This is something we make happen rather than something that happens to us. We are to pray every day to be filled with the Spirit, that the fruit of the spirit will be evident to all. As Christians we must strive to have our last day on earth, and every day between then and now, described in terms of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Then we know we were Spirit filled. And our songs to God should come from our hearts. It’s not about singing what we know or what we are comfortable with, or even what we like. It is about offering to God everything we feel in song, and to do so in the context of gratitude for all he has done and is doing for us. So my prayer for us all is that we live this day as if it is our last, to the glory of God, Father Son and Holy Spirit.