Ephesians 2:12
“remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel, strangers to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world.”
Before we accepted Christ we were "without hope and without God in the world." We were in such a bad place, most of us didn't realize it. Those that are in celebrate recovery probably have a better understanding of their state.
Jesus was attempting to tell a pharisees that he was sinful in John 9:41, 'Jesus said to him, "If you were blind, you would have no sin. But since you say, 'We see,' your sin remains."' Even the most religious ones on the planet were in a bad place, yet ignorantly so.
David addresses his blindness about this in others in Psalm 73. He begins by talking about the prosperity of the wicked and how he didn't understand how they avoid judgment. He addresses this in verses 17 to 19, "It was troublesome in my sight. Until I entered the sanctuary of God; Then I perceived their end. You indeed put them on slippery ground; You dropped them into ruin. How they are destroyed in a moment! They are utterly swept away by sudden terrors!" This is the state of the prideful ungodly.
We were all in dark places until God plucked us out and put us on dry ground. The beginning of today's verse speaks of how it's important to remember where we've been. We were lost and getting deeper into it.
If we are in Christ, we have a testimony. It might not seem dramatic compared to some, but it's important to us. It's more significant when we are in touch with our lost state. We are more grateful.
Jesus wants us to reach others who are lost. Proverbs 11:30 is a great Old Testament passage about this, "The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and he who wins souls is wise." This can be tough as most don't see the dangerous place they are in. The Lord wants to use us to do so.
We all have a unique audience. We spend much time with our coworkers. Both we and they will go through tough times. The Lord will provide opportunities to share as well as provide times in which we are to be good witnesses. We are helping those in darkness.
Lord, help us never to forget that we were without hope and without You at one time. Thank You for rescuing us. Help us never to forget where we were. Help us to reach others who are in darkness.