The following is a part of our weekly devotional series, which is a companion to the 2013 Foursquare Life Journal. This week’s Bible reading comes from Prov. 4-24 and Rom. 7-14.
The busyness of life does not seem to be slowing down. I think it’s safe to say that in ministry, things are only getting busier. I know in my own life—co-pastoring a growing church with my wife, Patty; attempting to fulfill my duties as director of Foursquare Chaplains International; and leading the Disaster Relief Ministry—things can get a little busy and hectic. The calendar and phone calls seem to drive my life and decisions.
Busy schedules and lots of demands can pull us into living in the moment for ourselves rather than living in the moment for our King. A busy schedule does not allow you or me the right to ignore our responsibility to live in the moment for our King.
Looking at Romans 12:1-2 with “situational awareness” might give a few insights that can keep us better focused on “living in the moment for our King” and not for ourselves. Situational awareness deals with looking at each moment as a unique situation and making decisions in complex and dynamic environments instead of using broad strokes or focusing only on how the situation affects me.
I am a retired fire officer, and I’ve noticed that many principles from my career in fire service parallel my spiritual walk. This is one of them. During my career, situational awareness was very important. The lives of the firefighters and victims were often at stake. Many situations were complex and dynamic. Operating with good situational awareness often pointed me to the right decision in that moment for those who were in danger, even if that was not myself.
Spiritually, living in the moment for our King changes our situational awareness from focusing on ourselves—our own comfort, safety or preference—to being a representative of King Jesus in every situation of life, to focusing on His will. Having a greater sensitivity to situational awareness can transition things into divine appointments with the King or being the divinely appointed minister of the Lord for this moment.
Let’s walk through Romans 12:1-2: “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God” (NKJV, emphasis added).
Situational awareness will help us experience more consistently the four italicized principles of this passage:
- First, we will be more sensitive to present ourselves as a living sacrifice to be used by the King, because we recognize the situation as dynamic and divinely appointed by the King.
- Second, we can recognize this is our reasonable service, and not exceptional service, to be used by our King.
- We then are not conformed to the world’s view of being too busy, but we take the time to be situationally aware of the divine appointment of our King.
- Finally, we see this as an opportunity for transformation in our lives, and perhaps the life or another person. We are privileged to be part of the proof of what is the good, acceptable and perfect will of God.
What a blessing we have to be in the moment for our King, instead of being in the moment for ourselves. Jesus is glorified, and lives are changed—including ours.
Blessings to you as your own situational awareness produces more divine appointments with the King of kings!
By: Jay Donnelly, director of Foursquare Chaplains International and senior pastor of New Life Christian Center (Jackson Foursquare Church) in Sutter Creek, Calif.
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