Blessed Lord, grant Your guidance and strength to the needs of this dear reader; in Christ Jesus I pray, amen.
Our text for today is from Ephesians 1:15-23: 15 For this reason, because I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints, 16 I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers, 17 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, 18 having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, 19 and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power in us who believe, according to the working of his great might 20 which he accomplished in Christ when he raised him from the dead and made him sit at his right hand in the heavenly places, 21 far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come; 22 and he has put all things under his feet and has made him the head over all things for the church, 23 which is his body, the fulness of him who fills all in all.
The question came from a devotional reading: If your church burned down to the ground, would your community miss it? That's one of those tough questions you pray you never have to live, though some have, because of all the worries and needs that would come with the result of such a catastrophe, would you think about what the community thinks? It is a good question as well, because it should make us as individual members first, to reflect on who we are and what kind of message we are sharing with those around us. Have we reached out in love to needs in our community? Have we gone the "second mile" in community events and concerns? Or are we a safe, incubator of whatever it is we are and do just for those willing to be a part of us?
Paul has heard some good things about the Ephesians namely that they are a people of faith. Yet his prayer for them is that that faith would increase so that greater things would be known about what and Who they were about. Paul knew that Christians who don't seek Christ daily and in greater ways are missing out on "riches" and "greatness" available to them. Those who are working in the Lord for the good of the Lord see a power that the world has yet to see. Is this true at your church? Is this true in your life?
PRAYER: Lord God, we confess that at times we like to coast with doing what we do best and what we do over and over again. We somehow expect that the doors of the church will fling open and crowds will come in, but to be honest, we sometimes don't do what we should with those who do visit us. Change all that by changing us. Make our heart be Yours. Make our eyes be Yours. Make the hope we have become the hope of the world, and this will come about only through Your power in Christ Jesus, in whose precious and powerful name we pray. Amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!
Eradio Valverde
