Christians exist in the widest of dimensions
It is natural and therefore easy to conceive of our lives as earth-bound. What does Paul do in these select passages but lift our eyes to somewhere else. If we will allow it he is placing his hand under our chin and lifting our heads from the pavement before us to the horizon beyond us. What happens when someone says to you, “Look at that sunset?” You lift up your head and turn your eyes toward that brighter part of the sky. There will be found a little amazement. Paul is doing the same thing here.
What can be found in that horizon-view, that sunrise, that sunset? What I found is that my now is known not only by the angel taking down my deeds, or God but by the wider spread of spirits who occupy the heavenly realm. Spiritual forces, good and evil, are aware of me. This real presence is not one easily grasped, but that does not diminish what is really happening does it?
I am on display but it is God’s wisdom that gets the glory.
“Have you considered my servant Job?” That question God posed to Satan and Satan had. I don’t find myself hoping to be the subject of a similar conversation between God and the Devil. But guess what? It does not matter what I hope or who Satan considers. Paul tells us that through God’s work in my life the manifold wisdom of God will be put on display before a wide, spiritually active, non-human audience.
Look beyond the murky now
We need to look through the murky now to the truth of God as revealed in Ephesians. Our non-pleasure at or in life is not the crux of life. Despite the discomfort, struggle, wrestling, lack of pleasure or ease God still has a program on in and around us. Can we live now with an eye through the haze? Can we conceptualize the anchor-lines running from our lives to God’s purposes?
Happiness and ease is not the target if you begin to see the things Paul teaches here. Ill-ease and melancholy will come and go, but what God does will last forever. For our context it would be better phrased, what God is doing lasts forever. Look there!
Blessings are more than refrigerator magnets
When I read a verse like Ephesians 1:3 I see that I have been blessed in the heavenly realm with spiritual blessings: every spiritual blessing. On our refrigerator, we place magnets from our different travel destinations. Those are things we collect, and while they may trigger pleasant memories they don’t give strength right now. Blessings in the heavenly realm, though, do. We are not building a portmanteau of spiritual badges like ribbons on a military uniform, or the Pocket Monsters of Pokémon. No, we are given tools and viewpoints that advantage us for life and living. The blessings are more like flashlights, homing beacons, or your GPS.
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