Christmas 2
Devotional
Water From the Well
Lectionary Devotional For Cycle A
Object:
... just as he chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless before him in love.
-- Ephesians 1:4
The author of Ephesians, Paul, or a writer in his name, began his letter with some incredible claims. These themes were developed throughout his letter and became a major challenge for the church. What is the effect on the church of believing that we were chosen before the foundation of the world? When we are feeling inadequate to the task, what does it mean to suggest God has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in heavenly places? Can we afford to act toward the church as if it were simply a volunteer organization if God established its mission from the beginning of time? Since we are fully aware of the sins of the church, how are we to understand that we are to be "holy and blameless before him in love"? Does it not make "the riches of his grace which he lavished on us" all the more incredible? If the mystery of God's plan to bring together or reconcile everything in heaven and earth is revealed in the church, then do we need to view what is taking place in the church from a different perspective? Paul and the leaders of the early church were not naive people or blind to the human frailties that were evident in the church. We often become so focused on the human organization of the church, and whether it does or does not meet our expectations, that we lose sight of its divine dimension. In this clearly frail family of the people of God, the very mystery of the redemption of God is being revealed. God's glory is being revealed, and we are challenged to turn to the church with expectation of our redemption and the redemption of the world.
-- Ephesians 1:4
The author of Ephesians, Paul, or a writer in his name, began his letter with some incredible claims. These themes were developed throughout his letter and became a major challenge for the church. What is the effect on the church of believing that we were chosen before the foundation of the world? When we are feeling inadequate to the task, what does it mean to suggest God has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in heavenly places? Can we afford to act toward the church as if it were simply a volunteer organization if God established its mission from the beginning of time? Since we are fully aware of the sins of the church, how are we to understand that we are to be "holy and blameless before him in love"? Does it not make "the riches of his grace which he lavished on us" all the more incredible? If the mystery of God's plan to bring together or reconcile everything in heaven and earth is revealed in the church, then do we need to view what is taking place in the church from a different perspective? Paul and the leaders of the early church were not naive people or blind to the human frailties that were evident in the church. We often become so focused on the human organization of the church, and whether it does or does not meet our expectations, that we lose sight of its divine dimension. In this clearly frail family of the people of God, the very mystery of the redemption of God is being revealed. God's glory is being revealed, and we are challenged to turn to the church with expectation of our redemption and the redemption of the world.
