Shade Tree Wisdom 3/19/09

A quarter moon hanging in the sky, the early morning is quiet, except for birds chirping and that roar of traffic on the distant parkway. So it is a time for quiet reflection, and there is much to think about, isn’t there? My mind runs to the lines of the hymn:

Change and decay in all around I see,
But, Thou who changest not, abide with me”.

Maybe that thinking lies behind the letter St. Paul wrote from prison to the church at Ephesus, meant as well probably, for all the churches in Asia. For us as well, most certainly.

St. Paul starts by reminding them of who they are in Christ Jesus. And all of this is “by grace, not of works, lest any man should boast." 2, 8.9. So they are Christians by God’s grace, it is a gift, not earned, not deserved, given simply out of God’s love.

Then he goes back to what they were, and explains that: “11 But don't take any of this for granted. It was only yesterday that you outsiders to God's ways 12 had no idea of any of this, didn't know the first thing about the way God works, hadn't the faintest idea of Christ. You knew nothing of that rich history of God's covenants and promises in Israel, hadn't a clue about what God was doing in the world at large. 13 Now because of Christ, dying that death, shedding that blood, you who were once out of it altogether are in on everything. “ 2, 11-13 MSG.

What he is saying is reminding them they were simply clueless about things of salvation. Outsiders, he called them. “Darkened in their understanding, and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them . . . so, having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality.” 4,18.19

He tells them, “Be very careful how you live, not as unwise, but as wise, making the most of every opportunity because the days are evil” 5,15. Then comes that section about arming ourselves with the “full armor of God” 6,17. ending with “take the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God”.

With that I leave you. It is, I believe, a good thought for the middle of the Lenten season when we linger on the events of the Passion of Christ, who died for US.

GPD 3/19/09