What is Acceptable to the Lord?

Ephesians 5:10 is the next verse, and I can't quite decide where to go with it. I wish I had included it with yesterday's section because it seems to fit better with those verses. I'm not sure why I didn't. It's a continuation of the sentence in verse 9. 10 says, "and try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord." We are told to walk as children of the light and then to try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord. The word try seems like it gives us an out. But, after 20 minutes of re-reading the verses around this one and trying to discern its meaning, I turned to my John MacArthur study Bible for some help.

My daily Bible is the ESV translation, and the JMac is New King James Version. The NKJV says, "finding out what is acceptable to the Lord." And the commentary notes explain it well. It says, ""Finding out" carries the idea of testing or proving to learn by clear and convincing evidence what is truly honoring to God," and "as believers walk in the light of the truth, knowledge of the Lord's will becomes clear."

Well, I can't say it any better than that. It's funny to think of one verse causing me such an issue, but having such a great meaning. It is good to know that as we live our lives according to our calling, we will gain the knowledge of the will of God.

Praise God for His Will.