Ephesians 6:5-9
Slaves are to work with the knowledge that they are working for the Lord and Masters are to treat there slaves in the same way. The passage spends most of its time on the first point and very little time on the second.
The key words that stand out to me is respect, fear, and sincerity of heart. I think that the onus is really on us to, by the help of the holy spirit, create this attitude within us towards those in authority over us. This leaves us little room to be critical and lots of room for a heart change. I think this is really maintenance because as you grow and change in your work you need to guard yourself against overconfidence, and arrogance. I think another part of this is to build a relationship with those in authority. If we are intentional in supporting them, and getting to know them this is a lot easier. This is really another challenge to cause us to be conscience in shaping the attitudes of our hearts and living a life worthy of our calling.
Friday, April 13, 2007
Tuesday, April 10, 2007
My family or God's family?
Ephesians 6:1-4
What?
Paul admonishes children to obey and honour their parents as well as reminding Fathers to not exasperate their children. He also reminds readers that this is the first commandment to come with a promise. The promise is that "it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on Earth".
So What?
The earthly institutions that were introduced in Genesis of marriage, family, and the tabernacle were all meant to be models of God's relationship with us so we carry a responsibility to do our utmost to make them reflect what God intended.
What Now?
I need to remember that as I operate within these institutions that I am not there just responding to people, or situations, but I am reflecting God's plans for His people. Even if everything human in me causes me to want to respond one way I need to be in prayer that I would respond in a way that reflects who God is not who the people involved are. I also need to be in the Word consisently so I can know how God would respond. It is also wonderful to think that as I do the right thing within these relationships that I am praising God and bringing glory to Him. This is the truth that needs to be kept in our minds so that when emotions are running we can step back and see the big picture.
What?
Paul admonishes children to obey and honour their parents as well as reminding Fathers to not exasperate their children. He also reminds readers that this is the first commandment to come with a promise. The promise is that "it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on Earth".
So What?
The earthly institutions that were introduced in Genesis of marriage, family, and the tabernacle were all meant to be models of God's relationship with us so we carry a responsibility to do our utmost to make them reflect what God intended.
What Now?
I need to remember that as I operate within these institutions that I am not there just responding to people, or situations, but I am reflecting God's plans for His people. Even if everything human in me causes me to want to respond one way I need to be in prayer that I would respond in a way that reflects who God is not who the people involved are. I also need to be in the Word consisently so I can know how God would respond. It is also wonderful to think that as I do the right thing within these relationships that I am praising God and bringing glory to Him. This is the truth that needs to be kept in our minds so that when emotions are running we can step back and see the big picture.
Monday, April 9, 2007
Reveling in the Unknown
Ephesians 5:32
I promise that tomorrow's blog will jump into Ch.6 and I will be on the right chapter again, but I couldn't leave without simply touching on this one verse that I have often omitted in my own reading of this passage.
This passage became significant to me about 3 or 4 years ago after some hard lessons early on in my marriage as to what a man's role really was. I have feasted on this passage repeatedly since then and it has shaped me in some important ways yet I realize that at many moments I somehow thought that I had read and understood it well enough to negate the mystery.
I realize that I am prone to find formula's or fixed rules that I think should guarantee marital success. I often am critical of the way people do things in there marriage and I realize that I have failed to believe that there is a mystery there. As I mentally allow the mystery back in I allow myself to revel in it. What brought Teena and I together is not something I can fully explain. How do we spend so much time together and yet continue to enjoy each other's company? These are mysteries that I can enjoy. Thanks be to God that we do not live a paint by the numbers life wherein the answers are readily before us! Thanks be to God that we can be amazed and enjoy wonderment in this lifetime and look forward to more to come in the next lifetime.
I promise that tomorrow's blog will jump into Ch.6 and I will be on the right chapter again, but I couldn't leave without simply touching on this one verse that I have often omitted in my own reading of this passage.
This passage became significant to me about 3 or 4 years ago after some hard lessons early on in my marriage as to what a man's role really was. I have feasted on this passage repeatedly since then and it has shaped me in some important ways yet I realize that at many moments I somehow thought that I had read and understood it well enough to negate the mystery.
I realize that I am prone to find formula's or fixed rules that I think should guarantee marital success. I often am critical of the way people do things in there marriage and I realize that I have failed to believe that there is a mystery there. As I mentally allow the mystery back in I allow myself to revel in it. What brought Teena and I together is not something I can fully explain. How do we spend so much time together and yet continue to enjoy each other's company? These are mysteries that I can enjoy. Thanks be to God that we do not live a paint by the numbers life wherein the answers are readily before us! Thanks be to God that we can be amazed and enjoy wonderment in this lifetime and look forward to more to come in the next lifetime.
Thursday, April 5, 2007
Ephesians 5:8-14
In this passage Paul reminds us again that we were once darkness, but now we are light in the Lord. He then describes briefly what living in the light looks like by listing the fruit it bears. He again reminds us to have nothing to do with the deeds of darkness but rather expose them to the light.
Again Paul interrupts his train of thought on darkness vs. light to list the what the fruits of our life should look like. He then returns to reiterate the importance of having nothing to do with the deeds of darkness.
Two things stick out to me in this passage. The first is the importance of a changed life in following Christ. Over and over Paul gives us specific actions, and traits to cultivate and here again he can't resist the desire to impress upon his reader's what the fruits of their lives should be. Therefore I need to constantly be looking at what I am doing in my life to cultivate those features. Secondly I wrestle with the call to expose the deeds of darkness. This immediately sounds like moralizing rather than loving, or a holier than thou preaching because these are common images we are familiar with. I recognize that this is not what Paul had in mind. I think what Paul had in mind is that secrecy allows sin to continue to hold its power. When we are honest and open it loses some of its glamour, part of its allure. We need to learn to be bold and thoughtful in not only proclaiming sin, but I think in our times explaining why it is sin. For some sins, pornography is one that comes to mind, we cannot simply call it sin but we need to explain why it is sin and what effects that sin has. In a non-bible based society we need to thoughtfully demonstrate why we are against things because we cannot simply assume that all agree with us based on the Bible. This places an extra challenge as we interact and balance love and grace as Jesus did.
In this passage Paul reminds us again that we were once darkness, but now we are light in the Lord. He then describes briefly what living in the light looks like by listing the fruit it bears. He again reminds us to have nothing to do with the deeds of darkness but rather expose them to the light.
Again Paul interrupts his train of thought on darkness vs. light to list the what the fruits of our life should look like. He then returns to reiterate the importance of having nothing to do with the deeds of darkness.
Two things stick out to me in this passage. The first is the importance of a changed life in following Christ. Over and over Paul gives us specific actions, and traits to cultivate and here again he can't resist the desire to impress upon his reader's what the fruits of their lives should be. Therefore I need to constantly be looking at what I am doing in my life to cultivate those features. Secondly I wrestle with the call to expose the deeds of darkness. This immediately sounds like moralizing rather than loving, or a holier than thou preaching because these are common images we are familiar with. I recognize that this is not what Paul had in mind. I think what Paul had in mind is that secrecy allows sin to continue to hold its power. When we are honest and open it loses some of its glamour, part of its allure. We need to learn to be bold and thoughtful in not only proclaiming sin, but I think in our times explaining why it is sin. For some sins, pornography is one that comes to mind, we cannot simply call it sin but we need to explain why it is sin and what effects that sin has. In a non-bible based society we need to thoughtfully demonstrate why we are against things because we cannot simply assume that all agree with us based on the Bible. This places an extra challenge as we interact and balance love and grace as Jesus did.
Wednesday, April 4, 2007
Radical Reprogramming Required
Ephesians 5:1-7
As I completed Ch. 4 and got into this passage it was great timing to have the "journey to the cross" fit in there. I am constantly overwhelmed at how different the life of Christ was from our human conventions. In the work world I am tempted to be more brash, to be boastful, to make a joke that will win over "the guys" or whatever the occasion seems it would demand. Yet, Christ didn't do this. It is hard to be humble without feeling like your weak. It is hard to be loving when you are busy, and simply want things to just get done and you feel like you don't have time to be kind. It is hard to express God's love when stress and busyness seem to overwhelm. I reflect back on Christ's humility, self control, and gentleness and recognize a life that is radically different from what we are accustomed to. The Christ that is now seated above all powers, and thrones to judge all of creation chose to constrain himself for our sake that His Father might be glorified in restoring His chosen ones to Himself. I recognize these are not new thoughts yet at Easter these truths particularly strikes me. Ephesians sets it up wonderfully as Paul opens with what Christ has done for us, and then sets out the behaviours that reflect those truths. The gospels lay out what these behaviours looked like here on earth as lived by the One without sin. I am just engrossed in the vast difference right now. It is humbling to see how far I fall short, and exciting to see and know that God is changing me and will continue to.
As I completed Ch. 4 and got into this passage it was great timing to have the "journey to the cross" fit in there. I am constantly overwhelmed at how different the life of Christ was from our human conventions. In the work world I am tempted to be more brash, to be boastful, to make a joke that will win over "the guys" or whatever the occasion seems it would demand. Yet, Christ didn't do this. It is hard to be humble without feeling like your weak. It is hard to be loving when you are busy, and simply want things to just get done and you feel like you don't have time to be kind. It is hard to express God's love when stress and busyness seem to overwhelm. I reflect back on Christ's humility, self control, and gentleness and recognize a life that is radically different from what we are accustomed to. The Christ that is now seated above all powers, and thrones to judge all of creation chose to constrain himself for our sake that His Father might be glorified in restoring His chosen ones to Himself. I recognize these are not new thoughts yet at Easter these truths particularly strikes me. Ephesians sets it up wonderfully as Paul opens with what Christ has done for us, and then sets out the behaviours that reflect those truths. The gospels lay out what these behaviours looked like here on earth as lived by the One without sin. I am just engrossed in the vast difference right now. It is humbling to see how far I fall short, and exciting to see and know that God is changing me and will continue to.
Friday, March 30, 2007
Brand, Shiny, New Me or Gentile Me?
Ephesian's 4:17-24
Paul describes the moral condition of the gentiles as being hardened hearts that have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, and then he reminds the church to put off there old selves, described above, and put on their new selves in Christ. Their new selves is a change in attitude to become like Christ in righteousness and holiness.
In vs. 20 I am confused as to how Paul arrives at this point. I don't understand what he means when after he describes the gentiles he says that they "did not come to know Christ that way." How would they have. Is this rhetorical? Meant to illustrate the deep divide between their old selves and new selves? Or is he saying that the following of our desires is not the way to know God, but rather being taught the truth is the way to the "new self". I am honestly looking for your thoughts and ideas to put this passage together.
I think that this battling hardening hearts, and struggling to put on a new attitude of the heart is one of our central lifelong challenges. I don't see how it ends or how there is one all-time cure that allows to never have to struggle with a hardening heart.
I can use the hardening heart, and the previously mentioned marks of maturity again to measure myself and my life by. This could create a set of questions that I regularly ask myself, in prayer, and use as a barometer of where I am at. Unfortunately they are not just yes or no questions and will require some work.
Paul describes the moral condition of the gentiles as being hardened hearts that have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, and then he reminds the church to put off there old selves, described above, and put on their new selves in Christ. Their new selves is a change in attitude to become like Christ in righteousness and holiness.
In vs. 20 I am confused as to how Paul arrives at this point. I don't understand what he means when after he describes the gentiles he says that they "did not come to know Christ that way." How would they have. Is this rhetorical? Meant to illustrate the deep divide between their old selves and new selves? Or is he saying that the following of our desires is not the way to know God, but rather being taught the truth is the way to the "new self". I am honestly looking for your thoughts and ideas to put this passage together.
I think that this battling hardening hearts, and struggling to put on a new attitude of the heart is one of our central lifelong challenges. I don't see how it ends or how there is one all-time cure that allows to never have to struggle with a hardening heart.
I can use the hardening heart, and the previously mentioned marks of maturity again to measure myself and my life by. This could create a set of questions that I regularly ask myself, in prayer, and use as a barometer of where I am at. Unfortunately they are not just yes or no questions and will require some work.
Thursday, March 29, 2007
Seeing the forest around the trees
Ephesian's 4:9-16
Paul lays out why, after Jesus Christ ascended, he gave out gifts and what there purpose is. There is purpose is to build us up in unity, and knowledge towards maturity.
Paul's definition of maturity gives me marks to measure my life by. Am I attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ? He then goes on to add some descriptions of what that looks like. I must have the knowledge the measure the words of men, be able to speak the truth in love, and be growing up into the Head of the church, Jesus Christ. I begin to put together the character traits in the first couple of verses with what happens in the church. Many different gifts, ideas, and levels of maturity all mixed in together requires that we act with humility, gentleness, patience making every effort to keep the unity. In a place where diverse gifts are working together, and diverse levels of maturity interact it will require grace. It is very easy to be critical, to be short, and to be saddened at moments in this process. The antidote is to respond with the characteristics mentioned and keep the end sight in mind. We are growing into the fullness of Jesus Christ, and as we do our part this will be true for the entire body. It is great to keep that big picture in mind so that we don't get lost in the, at moments, ugly messy day to day process of this.
Paul lays out why, after Jesus Christ ascended, he gave out gifts and what there purpose is. There is purpose is to build us up in unity, and knowledge towards maturity.
Paul's definition of maturity gives me marks to measure my life by. Am I attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ? He then goes on to add some descriptions of what that looks like. I must have the knowledge the measure the words of men, be able to speak the truth in love, and be growing up into the Head of the church, Jesus Christ. I begin to put together the character traits in the first couple of verses with what happens in the church. Many different gifts, ideas, and levels of maturity all mixed in together requires that we act with humility, gentleness, patience making every effort to keep the unity. In a place where diverse gifts are working together, and diverse levels of maturity interact it will require grace. It is very easy to be critical, to be short, and to be saddened at moments in this process. The antidote is to respond with the characteristics mentioned and keep the end sight in mind. We are growing into the fullness of Jesus Christ, and as we do our part this will be true for the entire body. It is great to keep that big picture in mind so that we don't get lost in the, at moments, ugly messy day to day process of this.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)