As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins… (Ephesians 2:1)
The key word here is were.
You were dead, crushed lifeless by the weight of the sin you chose and the sin that was yours by birthright. You were dead, without life or light or hope or breath.
Your past is death.
Your present? Your future?
So much life.
You have been taken from death and, at great cost, restored to life.
So live this day, Beloved.
Happy Tuesday
And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way (Ephesians 1:23).
The world is hungry
empty
hollow
barren
vain
pointless
purposeless
desolate
But it doesn’t have to be.
You know the One who filled the void
in the cosmos
and in your heart
with light.
And you are his hands and his feet in the world today.
You are full, Beloved.
Spill a little.
Happy Monday
And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, which is his body… (Ephesians 1:23)
We are his body.
So, that’s weird.
We are his physical presence here on Planet Earth. He acts and moves through his church, which is, you know, you and me.
Us
No pressure…
Teresa of Avila–you know, the prominent Spanish mystic, Roman Catholic saint, Carmelite nun and Counter Reformation author–
Which Teresa of Avila did you think I was talking about?
Anyway, Teresa wrote a poem that is compelling and frightening and hopeful all at once. Here ‘tis:
Christ has no body but yours,
No hands, no feet on earth but yours,
Yours are the eyes with which he looks
Compassion on this world,
Yours are the feet with which he walks to do good,
Yours are the hands, with which he blesses all the world.
Yours are the hands, yours are the feet,
Yours are the eyes, you are his body.
Christ has no body now but yours,
No hands, no feet on earth but yours,
Yours are the eyes with which he looks
compassion on this world.
Christ has no body now on earth but yours.
What will you do with that today, Beloved?
Happy Friday
And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church…(Ephesians 1:22)
It’s not just that he’s in charge of us.
He’s in charge for us.
God placed his only Son over his most precious creation,
to guard us
and guide us
and bring us home to the Father.
Imagine if the Father had gone a different way. I mean, he could have put me in charge. I guarantee you, that would have resulted in a lot less grace, and a lot more lightening.
Probably better not to imagine, after all.
Happy Thursday, Beloved
And God placed all things under his feet…(Ephesians 1:22)
All of it
Even the–
Yep, even that.
I tell you, on a day like today, when I have a million things to do and no time to do them and I still feel like bleaugh and I have to go to work anyway…
I really need that reminder.
And I’m thinking you probably do, too.
So consider yourself reminded, Beloved.
Happy Wednesday
**This here’s a reprint from a few years ago, when I felt as remarkably unwell as I do today.
There’s no use denying it—I’ve got the crud. For the last few days, I have hardly stirred from my big green chair. I have slept, eaten, napped, read junk novels, snoozed, scrolled aimlessly through Facebook, slumbered, and slept.
I’ve been sick.
There are no spectacular symptoms I can point you to. No raging fever, no projectile vomiting, no delirium—at least, none that I’ve noticed. I’m not bleeding, either internally or externally. Neither pox nor pustules are in ready evidence. It’s just a cold.
Frankly, I almost wish I had some better symptoms.It would kind of justify the time I’ve been out of commission. When you tell someone that you’re sick, they invariably respond with some variation of, “Oh, I’m so sorry. What’s wrong? Is it your stomach? Is it your head?” It’s great to have a solid response, like “Yeah, it’s my head. I’ve been bleeding from the eyes for several days now…fever’s at about 107,” or, “It’s weird…I’m covered head to toe in some kind of itchy purple fungus. The doctor gave me some ointment, and that seems to be helping…”
Instead, I’m stuck with, “It’s just really bad cold.” See, even to you I had to add the “really.” And I qualified the statement with a “just,” as though to admit that I know I sound like a punk. And you may say, “Oh, that’s rough. I know what that’s like,” but inside you’re thinking
“Wimp!”
“Lazy bum!”
“Weenie boy!”
“Haul your bacon out of bed and get something done!”
Well, maybe you’re not thinking that, but I am. Because I’ll tell you, Charles Ingalls wouldn’t have called in sick today. Virus? Ppfeh! That man worked a full-time job at the mill and ran a farm. Weekends? That’s when he worked in his barn, hand-crafting furniture to put in the house he built with his own hands.
My plan for today is…maybe…to change from pajamas to sweats.
It’s humbling to be sick. Frankly, I think that’s one reason God allows it. The occasional virus serves as a reminder that, not only is life not all about me, it’s not up to me.
Unless the Lord builds the house
its builders labor in vain.
Unless the Lord watches over the city
the watchmen stand guard in vain.
In vain you rise early and stay up late,
for he grants sleep to those he loves. (Ps 127:1-2)
I don’t know about you, but I can get way too caught up in my own importance. It’s not that I don’t matter. As a husband, and a father, and a teacher, God has given me very important duties. My problem (and I suspect yours, though I’m too polite and subtle to mention it) is that I start to think that I alone can and must accomplish all that has been set before me. Though I don’t forget God, I do sometimes relegate him to the position of cheerleader. Of course, it’s when I think I have to accomplish everything that I feel most powerless. When I let myself rest, or when plague forces it on me, I am reminded that there is a God who is knowledgeable, capable, and on my side.
Hmmm.
I’m going back to sleep.
Happy Tuesday, Beloved
That power is like the working of his mighty strength, which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come (Ephesians 1:19-21).
That power
the power that raised Christ
and destroyed death
forever
is the same power
that is at work
in you
today.
Now…that oughta kick start your week.
Happy Monday, Beloved
I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe (Ephesians 1:18-19).
Your heart awake
your hope alive
your future secure
all because of
His power
at work
in you
for you
through you.
How can you not rejoice today?
Happy Friday, Beloved.
I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe(Ephesians 1:19).
You really can’t imagine how much power God has.
You wanna try? Fine.
Ready….go!
Yeah, well, he’s got more than that.
Which is a really good thing, because you’re weak.
It’s OK, Beloved. I’m weak, too. As a matter of fact, when it comes to spiritual matters I’m kind of pathetic. I try to be strong, and on occasion I pull off a good imitation of strength, but in my heart I know the truth. I just don’t have the power to be the man I know God has called me to be.
Sound familiar? No? You’ve got life perfectly well handled on your own?
Oh, well…then I just feel silly.
Fortunately for me, God does not require me to supply the go-juice for my spiritual walk, any more than I had to redeem myself or find God on my own. His is the power to get me where he wants me to go.
He has made us many promises, Beloved.
And he has the power to back them up.
Happy Thursday
I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints…(Ephesians 1:18)
You know, there’s this thing about an inheritance—you don’t earn it.
Oh, maybe you’re thinking about all the holidays over the years when you’ve driven 100 miles just to eat petrified turkey with your freakshow of a family and you’re saying to yourself, “You bet I’m earning it. Every dime!”
But you aren’t, really.
An inheritance is a gift that comes to you but was earned by another. If you earned it yourself, it would be wages.
When it comes to dealing with God, you don’t want your wages, trust me.
You want the gift.
Paul understood this, and he was totally cool with it. He didn’t stake his claim; he didn’t demand his rights. He rested in the provision of God and trusted in the One who knew him best and loved him most.
So how about it, Beloved? Do you trust in God to provide you with an inheritance?
I hear it’s a pretty good one.
Happy Wednesday, Beloved.