08 Jun HAPPY NEW YEAR! (ARE YOU ADDING ANOTHER YEAR TO YOUR LIFE, OR LIFE TO ANOTHER YEAR?): PART 11
Anne and I have been married for over 30 wonderful years! However, what you may not know is that we knew each other when she was 8 and I was 14. She was a nice little Christian girl and I was anything but a nice Christian teenager. I did not know Jesus and was quickly spiraling downward towards total immersion in the culture.
I got born again at 20 and eight years later my mother called me and suggested I give “Anne Holderness” (that was her maiden name) a call. She was now 23 years old. This was way back in the day before Facebook or Facetime so I had no idea what to expect. When I finally called her within minutes of the conversation, I asked her, “So tell me about you and Jesus.” She gave a great answer and I knew she loved the Lord!
At the time, I had already begun to work in the ministry as a young single man at my local church. So my second question was, “I am called to be in the ministry…how do you feel about that?” Anne answered that she shared a similar call into the ministry! Two for two! Our relationship proceeded from there. We had to exchange pictures in the mail as I lived in Knoxville, Tennessee and Anne in Tulsa, Oklahoma. I photo shopped a picture of Brad Pitt’s head on my body and sent it to her! ☺ Seriously, I thought she was beautiful and she apparently liked my picture as well (she wasn’t wearing glasses at the time).
We actually logged 55 hours of phone conversation before we ever physically met! After only seven months of dating, we got married and Anne jumped immediately into the ministry. Now all these 30 years later I know this was God’s orchestration. I did not know all Anne and I would do for our Lord, but she has been perfectly gifted by God to assist in our ministry assignment. We love each other so much and it grows richer and deeper every year that passes by!
The Bible tells us, from Ephesians 5:15-17:
“See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise. Redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.”
Please allow me to break this verse down a little bit. Notice the word “walk.” This is the Greek word “peripateo.” It is a Greek compound word that comes from “peri” which means “around” (we get our English word periscope from it) and “pateo” which means “path.” Put those words together and it means “to beat a path around” or to be preoccupied with something.
The word “circumspectly” is the Greek word “akribos” which means “diligently, exactly or straight.” The Greek word translated “fools” is “asophos” which means “one who has no wisdom.” Paul, by the Holy Spirit, is referring to unbelievers without Christ.
In verse 16, you find the word “redeeming” which is the Greek word “exagarazo” which means “to buy back, ransom or rescue from loss.”
The Greek word translated “time” is “Kairos.” There are two Greek words for time: one is “chronos” where we get our English word “chronology” from. This word describes normal time as we know it. However the word “Kairos” is a divine opportunity orchestrated by God.
The word translated “days” means “ages or time period” and is referring to the culture we now live in.
If you will allow me a little liberty, these verses could be paraphrased to mean this:
“See then that you are preoccupied with walking diligently in a straight line. Not like unwise unbelievers that don’t know Jesus, but as wise (people who see life from God’s perspective). Buying back all the Divine opportunities that you possibly can because this culture is evil. Because of that, don’t be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is!”
That beautiful day approximately 31 years ago, when I called Anne on the phone was a “Kairos” moment and I am so thankful to God that both of us recognized it! This divine connection gave me such a poignant picture of how my life is on divine assignment! However, please know that so is yours!
Join us this month as we continue our series…