Image from youtube.com
View devotional here:https://bit.ly/3T1D7wE
1 As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, 2 in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. 3 All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath. 4 But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. 6 And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, 7 in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. 8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast.10 For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. (Ephesians 2:1-10 NIV Bible)
Dear Friend, greetings and peace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with you. May this be truly a day of new beginnings and new adventures of faith! No new grandbaby yet! Today one false alarm had our daughter in the hospital only to discover NOT YET! Grandma and grandpa accompanied her on a two-mile walk in hopes that one leg on the curb, the other off, might spark that which will motivate little one to make his appearance. Prayers for tomorrow as they might induce labor. We shall see and we trust God!
Maybe your life of faith is like Nellie's and mine. We were blessed in that our parents encouraged and placed us in settings where we were exposed to the things of God, and that made a difference in our lives. I should add, not that we have ever boasted of having halos or wings - we don't, and we are not perfect beings either. But we believe Mr. Wesley's belief that we can be made perfect in love in this life. But there have been moments when truly we have been "dead in our transgressions and sins" and needed Jesus to pull us out of there. And some of you may have truly been like some, whose parents never cared for any thing of God's or someone said or did something and they gave up on faith. This morning I heard a former atheist share how he and siblings were raised as Catholics until the moment the mother and father started to divorce and on one Sunday after mass, she approached the priest with a request to please meet with her right then. The priest curtly replied that his office hours were between Monday and Friday, and not on Sunday. The mother felt let down and hurried off with her children never to return, nor would she permit them to attend anything Catholic. As a result, this son became a non-believer and thankfully one day came to faith through Jesus Christ and now works in fields that help believers with their faith.
Paul was one who though not spiritually lost, was dead because of his zeal for the customs and traditions of his faith, and it took the encounter with the Risen Christ on the Damascus Road for him to truly come to life, thus his writing this part of his letter to the believers in Ephesus. He knew all too well what it was like to follow others and not the teaching and truth of Jesus. He also knew the wiles of the "ruler of the kingdom of the air," and how he never sleeps nor tires in his pursuit to de-rail believers from the path of life. But his joy is knowing how Christ Jesus has more energy and more desire to rescue us when we are truly dead in our sins and transgressions. God's desire is to see us alive, and not dead. God desires a true relationship with Him, thus He raised us from where we were to the heights where we are now with Jesus; knowing that one day when we leave this life we will enter the realm where God will show us "the incomparable riches of His grace, expressed in His kindness to us in Christ Jesus." Our salvation has come through grace, through faith, not by anything we could possibly do (works); it is just through the love of God because we are truly His - His handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, not as part of winning our salvation but because we are saved, we do that which God wanted us to do in the first place.
Indeed, there is much to do to fulfil God's claim on our lives. It starts with our daily devotion like we strive to do through ConCafe; to pray more, to pray for others, to grow deeper in our faith, and to seek new ways to show love and kindness to others. This should also prepare us to share our faith more openly to others, never knowing who needs to hear what we have to say. We should also seek to serve in our communities and to have fellowship with other believers.
PRAYER: Loving God, We come before you with hearts full of gratitude for the incredible gift of salvation. Thank you for your boundless love and mercy that reached down to us when we were dead in our transgressions. As we reflect on your Word, may it sink deep into our hearts and transform us from the inside out. We commit ourselves afresh to follow you wholeheartedly, knowing that our lives are a testimony to your grace and love. Use us as vessels of your mercy and instruments of your peace, reaching out to those who are lost and broken, pointing them to the hope found in Jesus Christ, in Whose name we pray, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord. YOUR CALL TO ACTION: (see above) Do what you lack to grow in your faith!
I love you and thank God for you!
Pastor Eradio Valverde, Jr.
