NIV

8 For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light 9 (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) 10 and find out what pleases the Lord..

One of my favorite books in the Bible is Ephesians. It gives practical instructions on how we should live as Christians. Sure, instructions of God are written all over the Bible, both in the Old and New Testament, but Ephesians to me, strikes at the core.

I’m often amazed at how different versions of the Bible present verses in the Bible.  The Internet, as well as, mobile apps nowadays allow Bible readers to go through the Word with only a few clicks which makes Bible-reading and exegesis easier than before. Easy, baby.

I recently got to thinking about the phrase “Walk as children of light“. To be a Christian is “to walk in the Light”– most people know this. But really, HOW DO WE LIVE AS CHILDREN OF LIGHT?

I think Ephesians 5:8-10 is reminding us Christians that we have been saved already. Sinful no more. We were once hidden in the darkness of sin but because of Jesus’ blood–His death and resurrection– we were made free and taken out of the darkness.  The forgiven have been enlightened by God. His children now able to shine and give light to the world. We are now in the light!

To be a children of light is to be filled with goodness, righteousness, and truth. Whatever is good, right, and true, His children ought to be embracing, believing, living, obeying, teaching, and sharing. To fill their lives with whatever is of God and live each day as if it is their last.

What struck me most is verse 10 telling us to:

• find out what pleases the Lord (NIV)
• proving what is acceptable unto the Lord (KJV)
  
• trying to learn what is pleasing to the Lord (NASB)
  
• carefully determine what pleases the Lord (NLT)
  
• figure out what will please Christ, and then do it (The Message)

Paul, in this verse in Ephesians, is telling us TO PLEASE GOD. Five versions of the Bible all pointing to one thought. Sounds easy. But how do we please God?

This got me thinking. I had to ask myself how am I pleasing my God. Do I find out what pleases Him? How do I prove what is acceptable to Him? Do I dare try to learn what is pleasing to the Father? How do I carefully determine what pleases the Lord? Do I take time to figure out what will please Christ? Do I please my God?

I learned these things….

To please God is to obey His commands no matter how difficult. To please God is to offer Him all that I am, all my heart and soul. To please God is to have faith in His Son. To please Him is to turn away from a sinful past.

To live to please God should be my goal as a Christian. To please God is to bear the Fruits of the Holy Spirit — that I should learn how to love, be joyful, be peaceful, be patient, show kindness, spread goodness, not lose faith, be gentle, and have self-control.

To please Him is to be strengthened by His power in every circumstance. To please Him is to live a life so grateful to the blessings because they are undeserved–causing me live to each moment carefully as if it is my last.

I want to please God no matter what it takes. I will. By His Grace I will.

______________________

King James Version

8 For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light:

9 (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;)

10 Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord.

New American Standard Bible

8 for you were formerly darkness, but now you are Light in the Lord; walk as children of Light 9 (for the fruit of the Light consists in all goodness and righteousness and truth), 10 [f]trying to learn what is pleasing to the Lord.

New Living Translation

8 For once you were full of darkness, but now you have light from the Lord. So live as people of light! 9 For this light within you produces only what is good and right and true.

10 Carefully determine what pleases the Lord.

The Message

8-10 You groped your way through that murk once, but no longer. You’re out in the open now. The bright light of Christ makes your way plain. So no more stumbling around. Get on with it! The good, the right, the true—these are the actions appropriate for daylight hours. Figure out what will please Christ, and then do it.