A Life Worthy

You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness (Ephesians 4:22-24).

You probably give a lot of thought to what you wear each morning.  

Well, I mean, maybe not during the pandemic–right now, you may be living in your jammies.  But usually…

Question: How much thought goes into the “self” you put on?

One of my favorite stories is “Ragman,” by Walter Wangerin, Jr.  In this story Jesus appears as a peddler trading fresh, clean clothes for old, filthy ones. I’m sure you can see where this is going, because you are very perceptive.  As he travels, Jesus meets people broken in body, mind, and spirit. He takes the old, foul rags with which they cover themselves. As he does, he takes their infirmities as well.  In exchange, Jesus gives fresh, clean garments, and leaves healthy, whole people.

I love that story.  I love the truth in it.  

God has a fresh, clean you for you to wear this morning.  Take the time to put it on.

Oh, and if it doesn’t quite fit, don’t worry.  You’ll grow into it.

Happy Tuesday, Beloved.

So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking.  They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts. Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, with a continual lust for more (Eph. 4:19).

It starts with a little experiment…

Just…you know… to see what it’s like.

You won’t go too far, because you know your boundaries.

Besides, you’re tough enough and smart enough to play a little and not get burned.

But sin is an addiction, Beloved.

It’s worse than heroin or crack or any other chemical that can enslave the body and the mind and the spirit.

Day by day it gives less and takes more, until it owns your very soul.

You, by the blood of Christ, have been released from the addiction.

You, through the Cross, have been freed from the curse.

You, by the grace of Almighty God, are no longer a slave to sin.

So act like it.

Happy Friday, Beloved.

From Him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work (Eph. 4:16).

Are you a spleen?

Then be a good spleen.

Don’t complain because you’re not an eye

or weep because you’re not a heart

or feel inadequate because you’re not hands and feet.

When you do, you stop spleening, and the body weakens.

Frankly, I don’t know exactly what a spleen does, but you do, if you’re a spleen.

So do it, and do it to the glory of God.

Happy Wednesday, Beloved.

Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming (Ephesians 4:14).

When exactly is, “Then?”  As in, “Then we will no longer be infants..?”  Scripture tells us it is when we become mature in Christ.

Ah.

And when will that be?

Could it please be today? Hmmm?

How many times have you felt like you were being blown hither, thither, and yon by people claiming to know what’s what?  I remember, as a baby Christian, being caught up in a group of people who taught that the Rapture was imminent—like, right now imminent.  One woman came into work and told me, with great excitement, that she had heard the trumpets begin to sound that very morning.

Thirty years later, it would appear that she just had tinnitus.  But what did I know? I was an infant, maybe two or three months old in Christ.  I was tossed about quite a lot in those days. God, however, is faithful, and over the years he’s taught me to surf a bit.

Here’s a promise, Beloved—you will grow.  You are growing, right now, even as you think about and chew on his Word.  Every day, moment by moment by moment, God is conforming you to the image of his Son.  Your words are growing richer in wisdom and fuller of love. Not always, but often, and more so as the days go by.  You will grow, by his grace and in his time, into the person he has called you to be.

In the meantime, hold on tight–the sea can get pretty rough.

Happy Monday, Beloved

It was he who gave some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God (Eph. 4:12-13).

There’s that “Unity” word again.

Seems to be important to the Lord of the Universe, so I guess we’d better pay attention.

Now, everybody has widely differing ideas about what unity is and what we should be unified on, which can lead to a breakdown in relationships and division in the Church.

That was a joke…but only kinda.

There’s an oft-quoted approach to the idea of unity, that I think covers it pretty well:

In essentials, unity.

In non essentials, liberty.

In all things, charity.

Unity in the faith…that seems essential.

Unity in knowing Jesus as the Son of God and the source of our salvation…yep…essential.

Unity in the structure of a small group…not so much an essential.

Unity in worship music style…nope.

Unity in Sunday Morning Dress Code…huh uh.

Unity in the brand of Communion cracker and relative levels of gluten…

I’ll get back to you on that.

There’s a big picture, Beloved.

Keep your eyes on it.

Happy Thursday