January 23, 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:

Not only am I compelled to assert and promote the Fatherhood of God but His sovereignty and supremacy. As Paul explained it to the Ephesians, and thus to us as mighty ones of God, this “One God and Father of all” is also “over all and through all and in all.” This would be a sufficient explanation of “sovereignty and supremacy.” There is but one God who rules over all (with justice, mercy and love) and cannot be displaced by any other. For, if any other “god” would seek to do so, then their intention would be out of spite, jealousy and vindictiveness akin to vengeance although the One God did not that was immoral, illegal nor unjust. We can see this descriptor enacted in the insurrection of Lucifer against God, Yahweh Elohim. It was by his own volition and self-will he sought to displace God and remove him from the throne. Whether his intention was to take on the throne of all heaven and earth or simply remove God from it and destroy it so that it belonged to no one and nothing, we do not know. What we are assured is that the nature, character, purpose and existence of God never changes. It remains constant from the alpha and omega of existence in and out of time. In that, God never fails. So, it was not because of some wrong which God did which Lucifer observed or was informed of that precipitated the rebellion. Nor was it because of some wrong which God had done to Lucifer himself which was the impetus of rebellion. It was upon sheer self-will, self-determination and self-image which Lucifer used as the bait to lure other angels to adopt the same attitude and view of God. For their trouble, God in His mercy removed them from their places in the heavenly realm and established them on the earth of His creation.

It was there, it would seem, that God who is over all, established within creation images of Himself as Father, Son and Holy Spirit. He inspired, infused and engaged them by His Holy Spirit to steward, shepherd and rule on earth as if it were for them heaven itself. God did not relinquish any authority nor any right of entitlement to Lucifer, now called Satan the Accuser, nor those dark angels which followed him against God. Reflecting unity and harmony, these creations of earth as male and female beings existed with the blessing of God, empowered with meaning and purpose and commanded “to live lives worthy of the call to which they had been called.” They had a clear sense of identity without bias. They had the blessing of God without limit (save they could not eat of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil). They had the awareness of God’s presence and its priority in life established by the invocation of worship on the Sabbath day. God was truly “in them” and “through them” would bring the continuity of peace, justice, mercy, love, goodness, kindness, patience, self-control and faithfulness to bear on the earth. Humanity was not created by God to be Satan’s warden or keeper. They were created to be God’s witnesses as living testimonies to the goodness of God and trusting in all His benefits. Even in their failure to understand and comply with the “calling by which they had been called,” God demonstrated His love and mercy. He did not condemn them but showed them “the way, the truth and the life” by which they would proceed all the days of their lives. He even sealed the covenant of that calling to “live in the world and not of it” with the sacrifice a precious lambs. The shedding of their blood was the anointing of the covenant established with them. Their lambskins became the visible dress of the beginning of “the priesthood of all believers.”

What is critical to our understanding of our very own existence is that hope is found only in the relationship we have with God who is “over all, in all and through all.” God did not send Adam and Eve beyond the Garden of Eden to exist on their own in mortal and moral combat with the enemy of all. God’s covenant was an abiding presence which they had known in the Garden. The covenant of justice reestablished their knowledge that God was with them. Such evidences of God’s presence can be found throughout the Old Testament scriptures from Cain and Abel to Abraham to Joseph to David to the prophets. But, nowhere do we find it more in evidence than in Jesus Christ who promised His disciples and followers before His ascension to the Throne in Heaven “Remember, I AM with you always even as the Age of the Church comes to a close.” From their Garden of “Eden,” those followers were sent out into the world to be ambassadors of God’s mercy and love. They were not sent to “rule over as the Gentiles (and Jews) did.” They were sent to proclaim and manifest the truth of the gospel which had been proclaimed perfectly by Jesus, God’s only begotten Son and paschal sacrifice for our sake. This covenant established the permanency of God’s sovereignty and supremacy for those who would choose to be His People, accepting the truth of His and their own existence in divine community. It is intended to be our choice as well!

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.