Focus

Prepare yourself to discern what is and what is not of God today. Still yourself so you can hear how God is calling you.

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Read

Ephesians 1:15-23 (NRSV)

I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints, and for this reason I do not cease to give thanks for you as I remember you in my prayers. I pray that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation as you come to know him, so that, with the eyes of your heart enlightened, you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance among the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power for us who believe, according to the working of his great power. God put this power to work in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the age to come. And he has put all things under his feet and has made him the head over all things for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.

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Reflect

What would happen if you sat down today and wrote a note telling someone that you thank God for them? that you pray for them to feel God’s presence in their lives and reap blessings? How might your letter impact that person?

Paul’s wrote to the Ephesians while imprisoned in Rome. Undoubtedly the letter was a great source of encouragement and instruction to the church at Ephesus, but I wonder what effect writing the letter had on Paul. Did writing about God’s eternal purpose to establish and complete God’s body, the church of believers, bring him as much encouragement as it did those to whom he wrote?

Today, technology provides us amazing ways to communicate, but taking time to write someone is a gift, not only to the recipient, but also to the writer. Why not take time today to write some words of encouragement or gratitude to someone? The blessing you receive will be equal to or greater than the blessing you bestow.

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Pray

God of all, thank you for giving us language to express your love in even a small way to those around us. Place on my heart, today and every day, the names of people to whom I could be an encouragement. I offer myself as an instrument to convey, through the written word, your love to someone in my circle of acquaintance today. Amen.

Go with God.