Focus
Take a few minutes to push the “pause” button on whatever is going on around you and be still with God.
Read
2 You were dead through the trespasses and sins 2 in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the ruler of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work among those who are disobedient. 3 All of us once lived among them in the passions of our flesh, doing the will of flesh and senses, and we were by nature children of wrath, like everyone else, 4 but God, who is rich in mercy, out of the great love with which he loved us 5 even when we were dead through our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— 6 and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 so that in the ages to come he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God— 9 not the result of works, so that no one may boast. 10 For we are what he has made us, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we may walk in them.
Reflect
Not often do we get to read a scripture and study lesson that begins with the gloominess of sin and death. Mostly, we seek out passages in the scriptures that are uplifting and encouraging. The writings in the New Testament attributed to Paul are a mixed bag of encouragement, admonitions, and teachings, usually flowing frequently between the three. After Paul gets through his customary salutations when writing to Christians in Ephesus, he goes straight to the realities of being human. He writes that by our very nature, we are creatures predisposed to follow our own desires (he calls them the passions of our flesh). Our interests, longings, and plans completely ignores the implications they have on our loved ones, acquaintances, and strangers. Our self-preservation is the most important aspect of living a quality and happy life. We commit actions and express words that decimate and cause death. And we remain still and silent when circumstances cry for intervention all because it is a benefit to us. Paul identifies these both as a trespass and sin. He writes that when we follow the will of self, we are dead; dead through the trespasses and sins.
Paul does not keep his focus centered only on human sin. After writing gloomy images of humanity’s death and sin, he shifts his attention to what God is doing. Verse five begins, even when we were dead through our trespasses [God] made us alive together with Christ – by grace you have been saved. This shift of focus in the remaining six verses describes God moving out of great love, extolling grace that saves us from death. There is an alternative to living in sin and death. A gift that is rich in mercy and great in love is making us alive in Jesus Christ; saving us through faith in grace (verse 8).
Pray
Come Holy Spirit, come. Help us to have a greater dependance upon God’s divine grace. Amen.
Go with God.
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