Liz’s Morning Devotional: Scripture selected from Upper Room
October 20, 2022
Read Ephesians 3:8-20
8 God gave his grace to me, the least of all God’s people, to preach the good news about the immeasurable riches of Christ to the Gentiles. 9 God sent me to reveal the secret plan that had been hidden since the beginning of time by God, who created everything. 10 God’s purpose is now to show the rulers and powers in the heavens the many different varieties of his wisdom through the church. 11 This was consistent with the plan he had from the beginning of time that he accomplished through Christ Jesus our Lord. 12 In Christ, we have bold and confident access to God through faith in him. 13 So then, I ask you not to become discouraged by what I’m suffering for you, which is your glory. 14 This is why I kneel before the Father. 15 Every ethnic group in heaven or on earth is recognized by him. 16 I ask that he will strengthen you in your inner selves from the riches of his glory through the Spirit. 17 I ask that Christ will live in your hearts through faith. As a result of having strong roots in love, 18 I ask that you’ll have the power to grasp love’s width and length, height and depth, together with all believers. 19 I ask that you’ll know the love of Christ that is beyond knowledge so that you will be filled entirely with the fullness of God. 20 Glory to God, who is able to do far beyond all that we could ask or imagine by his power at work within us;
Good Morning, What a beautiful day to celebrate God’s glory!
In his letter to the people of Ephesus, Paul is sharing his own story as he prays for their strength to embrace God’s work in their lives. There are so many points upon which to focus: strength, faith, love, and God’s glory. As I sit and listen to God’s Word this morning, I feel blessed as I am filled with abundance by God’s love.
Vs. 20 is so powerful: Glory to God, who is able to do far beyond all that we could ask or imagine by his power at work within us. If we sat for minutes, hours, or even days, we could not realize the scope of God’s power. When we accept Christ, the Holy Spirit becomes part of our essence working, molding, twisting, and transforming us into God’s purpose. Because we can’t fathom the immensity of God’s plan, we can’t imagine who or what we will be.
I am reminded of a story from my early days of teaching. A teacher asked her students to write a story about going on a trip to a great place. While some students described trips to Disney World or the beach, one little boy, whose family had very little, wrote about going and spending the afternoon at the laundromat in town. He described getting snacks from the vending machines and playing the arcade games that were available. In his grandest thoughts and dreams, this was the best that he could imagine.
I feel that when we try to envision God’s plan for our lives, we have a hard time seeing beyond our own boundaries. How can we imagine the grandeur of those things that are unknown to us? Like the boy’s trip to the laundromat, our thoughts are limited by our own limited experiences and understanding. Through faith in God, the love of Christ, and the proclamations of God’s servants, we can place our lives in God’s hands and allow the Holy Spirit to direct us in a new direction. Our destination is eternal glory!
Gracious God, Thank You for loving us. We want to listen and remain steadfast, but we are distracted by details. Help us to allow ourselves to fully trust Your plan for our lives. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen
Thought for the day: I can trust that God is with me no matter where I am.
Imagine! Pastor Liz
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