January 8, 2024

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE READING:

“As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.” (Ephesians 4.1-6)

TODAY’S REFLECTION ON GOD’S WORD:

For most of us, being “completely humble and gentle” sounds strangely similar to the challenge Jesus presented in the Sermon on the Mount[ainside] which encouraged true believers “Be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect.” Really Jesus? The expectation is “perfection, without flaw or error”? Well, as much as I would like to believe that I can be perfect I know that it is impossible for me. I do know some who falsely claim “I am perfect.” Such boasts in and of themselves cry out “Not!” Think of the bold request of James and John, or at least of their mother- Salome, to be given positions of high honor and authority in Heaven. The request was to be able to sit at Jesus’ right and left hand on thrones just a little less than Christ and thus a little less than God. These are the same two who begged for the opportunity to call done “hellfire and brimstone” upon a faithless village. These are the same two who loved to play the king of the hill game of “Who is the Greatest?” Yes, even then two thousand years ago the conversation of “the GOAT” was alive and well. It suffered then as it suffers now the same ignored fallacy from mere mortals. Jesus answered them each time, though using different words each time, with the theme of “whoever desires to be great among you but become like a servant…humble and gentle.” Humble? Gentle? The Sons of Thunder? But, Jesus loved them just the same. He continued to encourage them by His own example and “living worthy the live to which He had been called.” He would say of Himself, “I have come to serve and not be served, for this the Son of Man is in the world.” As Jesus bore His own cross to Calvary there on Golgotha’s Hill overlooking Jerusalem and the Temple of God, He did so humbly and gently. “By His stripes we have been healed” demonstrated the perfection required to show others how great the Father’s love was for them.

It shows us the same today as well. It reveals the way in which we can be perfect as our heavenly Father is perfect. Such perfection is the author and sustainer of our faith and faithfulness. Such perfection is authentic love. That, mighty ones of God in Jesus Christ, is “the life we are called to worthily pursue.” But, not on our own ability. Without faith in Jesus Christ such love, perfection, greatness and worthiness would be impossible to us. But, as Paul encouraged the Philippians, “All things are possible in Christ Jesus.” Jesus is remembered telling the disciples, “What is impossible for human beings is not impossible for God; if you will believe it in your heart then possibility will become a part of you.” But, and I reiterate, not on our own self-will, self-desire, self-promotion or self-delusion. Bearing in mind what each of those “possibilities” were addressing, we are called to hear about salvation, redemption and reconciliation. These are the critical elements of a “worthy” life; as critical as faith, hope and love. It is easy enough to do the word search on both humble and gentle and find their synonyms to broaden our understanding. With such understanding, we are able to apply the concepts into our daily lives. With such application, we are able to bear the- the fruit of the Spirit which feeds and comforts a world that is hungering and thirsting for righteousness. Can there be any more life worthy to be lived than this? Oh, mighty ones of God in Christ Jesus, if we would strive to bask in such worthiness that would be perfect!

TODAY’S PRAYER IN RESPONSE TO GOD’S WORD:

Father, before we were conceived in the womb, You had already formed us in Your love and by Your Spirit spoke us into being. Each one of us is blessed with the opportunity of doing right, being good and producing the fruit of the Spirit so that others may be fed the truth of that same love so that the two will become one. It is our soul’s sincere desire to embrace the oneness You have in mind that we would know that we are Your people and that You are our God. Lead us in that discovery of the truth and the manifestation of that love for us all. In Jesus’ name, we pray. AMEN.