February 2, 2024

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE READING:

“What does ‘He ascended’ mean except that He also descended to the lower, earthly regions?  He who descended is the very one who ascended higher than all the heavens, in order to fill the whole universe.” (Ephesians 4.9-10)

REFLECTION ON GOD’S WORD:

“Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence?                    If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.            If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea,
even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast.
If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me,”
even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day,
for darkness is as light to you.” (Psalm 139.7-12 written by David, King of all Israel circa 1048 B.C.)

Nearly 1100 years had passed between the writing of King David, perhaps during the insurrection against him led by his son Absalom, and the writing of Paul to the Faith in Christ Community of Ephesus while in a Roman prison in 62 A.D. The volumes of history which had passed between those two years just for the nation of Israel would fill the proverbial libraries of all the world. Yet, their echo of a singular truth never changed and never changes.

As David considered the situation he was facing as Absalom was seeking to take the throne from him, he turned again to God. David rarely, perhaps only once, took his eyes off of the truth which he knew: God is with us. He had been on the run many times in his life starting with the banter of brothers as the youngest of Jesse’s sons, to the pursuit of King Saul as the people showed greater love and affection for David who had been anointed King of Israel but had not yet ascended to the throne and even then when his own sons found fault in him and sought to take the throne which God had provided. He and his men hid in caves, ravines and sought refuge in mills, presses and houses of God. In all of that time, David found that there was nowhere where God had not been before him or was in with him or would dwell faithfully after he had moved on. It was about the consistent and persistent dwelling of God which David came to trust in with his very life. Nothing escaped God’s attention regardless of what the world believed. It is the same today regardless of what the world believes.

In his letter to the Ephesians who placed their faith in God through the abiding presence of Jesus the Christ called Immanuel, God with us, Paul declared “He who descended also ascended even higher than the heavens in order that the whole universe would be filled.” I believe we are called to see a statement of faith which is for us as believers in Christ a spiritual fact, “the saving grace and seat of judgment is everpresent and present everywhere.” There is no place in the whole of the universe which is not touched by the very presence of the Christ of God. It is a reiteration of David’s psalm which points us to the truth of the sovereignty of God. All creation is His and made in the image of the Godhead: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Every planet, every moon, every asteroid, every comet, every ice particle, every star, every constellation, every galaxy, every black hole, every quasar and even in the dark matter down to the very subatomic particles is a dwelling place of God’s presence where life, faith, hope, love, mercy, grace, peace, joy and abundance exists. There is nothing apart from nor outside of God’s purview. And it is verified and validated by the life, death and resurrection of Jesus the Son of God and Son of Humankind. There is no end. There is no limitation. There is no place where the mercy and grace of God will not hold sway. Even Hell which will exist outside the great city of New Jerusalem will not exist outside of God’s presence. His power will contain it as Satan will continue to “maintain” it without success.

What does that say to us today, mighty ones of God? That regardless of how much we believe or do not believe in God and the manifestation of His love which we are witness to in Jesus the Christ, God is unchangeable and undeniable. “His steadfast love endures forever.” (Psalm 118.4) ”He is the same yesterday, today and forever.” (Hebrews 13.8) This should give us confidence in the One who has promised not to leave us nor forsake us no matter where we are, where we go, what the situation may be, what the circumstance may present nor what the unknown to us challenges our heart and mind and body and spirit. With that confidence, we are invited to live that life which is worthy of the calling to which we have been called: to be a child of God, a friend of the King and a community of faith where peace will abide and abound.

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.