A Life Worthy

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… (Eph. 4:11-12).

Their job is to teach us to do our job.

Their job is not to do our job.

Because…it’s our job.

Let’s do it.

Happy Wednesday, Beloved.

There is one body and one Spirit–just as you were called to one hope when you were called–one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all (Ephesians 4:4-6).

They will tell you that there are lots of ways to get to Heaven.

They will tell you that truth is individual..

They will tell you that God is a construct.

They will be wrong.

Happy Monday, Beloved.

…be patient, bearing with one another in love (Eph. 4:2).

I’m a middle school teacher.

I know all about patience…particularly how to lose it. A middle school classroom is a microcosm of society at large. It’s filled with people who don’t listen, don’t follow the rules, hurt others for no apparent reason, make the same mistake over and over and over and over and over and respond to simple, thorough, articulate instructions with a blank look and, “I  don’t get it.”

The only way to avoid raining fire down upon them, the only way to endure their middle-schoolishness, is to love them.

And the only way to do that is to see them as Christ sees them–small and unsure and lonely and frightened and His.

And the only way to do that is by the power of the Holy Spirit.

So, Beloved, who will you need the Holy Spirit to help you be patient with today?

Wow…that’s kind of a lot of folks.

Don’t worry–he can handle it.

Happy Thursday, Beloved.

As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received (Ephesians 4:1).

I like this verse. I like it so much I kinda sorta named my blog after it.  

Paul serves as our example here—he is living his calling, even though it landed him in prison. He urges us, down through the long ages, to do the same.

But hey, wait–what is your call?  What is the purpose of your life and mine?

Let’s keep it simple; after all, it’s only Tuesday.  

Your call, beloved of God, is to bring him glory.  

Great…how do you do that?  Well, the context of the verse says that you do that by keeping the peace.  At the cross, God brought the chance for peace between Man and Man as well as between Man and God (Eph. 2:14-18).  Our job is to live in such a way as to help maintain that unity and that peace.

Blessed are the peacemakers (Matthew 5:9).

May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me (John 17:23).

Think about the people you are likely to see and deal with today. How can you glorify God by being, “completely humble and gentle…patient, bearing with one another in love”(Eph 4:2)?

Yeah, I know it isn’t easy.

And you know what?

They’re probably thinking the same thing about you.

But it is your calling.

Happy Tuesday, Beloved

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than we can ask or imagine, according to the power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever!  Amen (Eph. 3:20-21).

Sometimes this world seems so

chaotic

unstable

random

that I forget that the most important things, the God things, are

forever

and ever

and ever

and ever

and ever

and ever

and ever

and ever.

You know what I mean?

Happy Friday, Beloved.