Yes, But . . .
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Ephesians 1:1-10
1. Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, To the saints who are also faithful in Christ Jesus: 2. Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 3. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, 4. even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. 5. He destined us in love to be his sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, 6. to the praise of his glorious grace which he freely bestowed on us in the Beloved. 7. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace 8. which he lavished upon us. 9. For he has made known to us in all wisdom and insight the mystery of his will, according to his purpose which he set forth in Christ 10. as a plan for the fulness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.
Ephesus was a thriving, vital city at the time Paul wrote this letter. I imagine it was the equivalent at that time of Washington DC or New York City today—vital, active, a seat of power, a symbol of strength—and everybody wanted to be there in the midst of things! Our family went to New York City over Memorial Day this year and it was so incredible! Everywhere we went we encountered a literal sea of human beings! People everywhere! It was fascinating and exciting and very alluring. We had more than one conversation about what neighborhood we’d like to live in and how much fun it would be to go to Central Park any time we wanted to and the museums. . . and the culture . . . and the people . . .
The Ephesians were busy people, too! And I’m sure there were days some felt that their world was just too big, spinning out of control. There must have been times when the problems they faced seemed insurmountable. It was hard to be a Christian too because so many pagan practices were still carried on—and later actually infiltrated the “formal” church services we are familiar with today. Things really haven’t changed too much, have they?
These verses offer tremendous comfort to me today. The holidays are, of course, a time for gathering of family and celebrations of life and love and the tiny baby who was born of woman but conceived of God. But I witness so much that is troubling. I heard on a news program not too long ago that the network that airs “Touched by an Angel” was pulling it off the air because God is mentioned in every episode! Athletes who are paid millions of dollars and worshipped as gods are proving to be merely human – full of rage, taking steroids, feeling a sense of entitlement and privilege they have neither earned nor learned to deal with.
Civil wars rage throughout the world. The population of the continent of Africa is literally being annihilated – either through HIV/AIDS, through massacre or through famine. The Middle East is just waiting to erupt in a war of biblical proportions – literally. I heard Billy Graham on television the other night declare he felt “this might be it” (meaning the end as described in Revelation!)
But I didn’t want to hear any of that this morning. I don’t want to think about it! I’m back from two days of travel for work, and I’m just glad to be home—with too much to do and too many hopes and dreams for the future, and too little time to accomplish it all! I needed to be reassured and reminded that I don’t need to stay awake nights worrying about all this – making it all my issue, my struggle, my focus for living. I am responsible for doing all I can to make the world a better place, don’t misunderstand my point! But God made this world, and he has the future of it in his control. His plans are already laid in place, and I can’t really change them.
So my focus today will be on being the best Christian I can – the most loving human being I can be. And I will try with all my strength to live like I’m saved by God’s grace—a beloved child, born of woman, conceived by man, but reborn in the image and likeness of God’s Son—through His amazing grace and love. The world may be spinning out of control. I may hear bad news everywhere I turn. But my comfort is that in the end, when it’s all said and done, I will be able to kneel at the feet of God in heaven and say, “yes, I am a sinner.” And He will say, “Yes, but I love you, welcome home.”
I hope today you look to the wonderful homecoming in heaven planned and laid out for you before you were born. And that you stop the world for a minute and ponder the tiny baby in a manger bed born 2000 years ago to change your destiny and mine.
Mary
