There is something wonderful about the dawn of a new day. The first light of the morning sun seems to bring hope and happiness. The uncertainty and fears of darkness are gone and we are presented a clear vision.
A member of our previous church was once in Egypt on a tour of the Holy Land when violence broke out at the hotel. The uprising included military force – automatic weapons and tanks! She said that her group huddled against an outside courtyard wall all through the harrowing night as they listened to gunfire streaking overhead. When the next day dawned, she said, everyone inexplicably stood up. They all had a sense of hope in spite of the continued fighting.
In his letter to the believers in Rome, people who were struggling against persecution and a very uncertain future, Paul has an urgent message. What is Paul urging in verse 11? What is near? What are we instructed to do in verses 12 and 13? What instruction is in verse 14?
Many people approach their faith with very little conviction or sense of urgency about it all. Many seem to act as if they are too busy to take the time to worry about believing in God. Perhaps they think there will be plenty of time for that when they get older – when they retire, when the kids are grown and gone.
But Paul points out the urgency we need to have with our faith. The day is today; the hour is now for us to begin walking in step with the Holy Spirit. Each day of living for ourselves and living to gratify our human desires takes us further from God.
The dawn of salvation and new hope – hope for our souls – is here and now. The new day of living out the fruit of the Spirit is in front of us.
And living out the fruit of the Spirit requires egkrateia – self-control. We should take on this aspect of the fruit of the Spirit now, not some distant day in our uncertain future. Now is the time to live out self-control, to shed ourselves of the physical and temporary desires and pleasures of the flesh. Now is the time to clothe ourselves in Jesus and begin living as mature Christians – holy and beloved of God, able to live out all the parts of the fruit of the Spirit.
DAILY CHALLENGE: How can you exercise spiritual self-control in your faith life today?
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