Today’s scripture: Ephesians 2:1-10 (NRSV) (The Message) (KJV) What might God be saying to me?
My thoughts (Steve Adams):
A few years ago, my husband Dan and I, along with a couple of friends, stopped at Lookout Mountain in Tennessee. We walked toward an observation area, then suddenly saw a huge vista — a panorama of lush, green trees and pristine blue sky that stretched for miles and afforded a view of four different states. It was quite a contrast from our crowded car with its limited view, which we’d been riding in for hours. Then we went to Ruby Falls, a cave underneath the mountain which has a large, spectacular waterfall within, illuminated by colored lights. So, by exercising a choice to go to these locations, we were treated to the experience of two realities which we would have been oblivious to had we stuck to the highway and stayed in the car.
Grace!
A similar enlargement of consciousness happens when we read insightful spiritual writings such as the Book of Ephesians. New vistas of understanding open up. We’re introduced to new dimensions of reality we never knew existed! One of the central realities that comes into view is grace. God loved us so much that, even when we were dead through our trespasses, Christ reached out to us and made us alive. Talk about a huge contrast — death to life! God spiritually resurrected us and seated us with Christ in the heavenlies. What an amazing gift! We are then urged to remember that all of this was accomplished by GOD! None of it was done by us, as we might tend to think.
No clunkers!
In verse 3, Paul says that he and the Ephesians all followed the course of this world which is determined by a spirit that draws us to follow inferior desires compared to God’s — so inferior, in fact, that, when we’re following that spirit, we trespass against God, and we are, in effect, “dead” (vs. 1, 5). They all ONCE lived that way, he says, implying that they don’t any longer. This is so touching, so moving! Once we wake up and become ALIVE to God’s ways, the old “ways of the world” are shown for what they are — totally inferior — and we want the SUPERIOR ways of God! So we do everything we can to pursue the fruit of God’s spirit — love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control, and say goodbye to the “clunker spirits” of old!
It’s all about awareness!
But, in reality, it’s not easy. Not at all. It requires sacrifice. Look at the life of Jesus. Sometimes the world’s way seems much easier and appears to give us more of what we want, in the SHORT-TERM. We just have to figure out how much we value doing it God’s way. So here’s the key: We need to develop an awareness of what spirit we are following. Life is spiritual. I assume all of you readers believe in God. Well, God is Spirit. So, that, in and of itself, makes life pretty darn spiritual, right?
The choice is ours!
Many people believe spirits have different energies, different vibrations. So, if we’re following a spirit, we’re receiving an energy, an atmosphere from it. Michael A. Singer, in his excellent book, The Untethered Soul, mentions that the spirit of fear has a very low vibration. That got me to thinking — what about other inferior spirits? Wouldn’t they also have a low vibration, a different kind of energy as well? For example, when I buy more than I can afford and go into debt, I must be under the influence of one of those spirits whose energy is much different from God’s. Is it possible for you and I to sense that? Yes! It must feel very different then when I’m under a good spirit and buying something to give to the poor. Or what about when I want to spend hours watching my favorite sports team on TV, when I could instead spend that time helping someone who really needs it — or reading and learning about spiritual awareness instead (and catch the score later from my phone)? There must be two different spirits at play there, and I believe we can develop the awareness to sense which one is at work trying to influence us. These are simply two examples from my own experience. Please take a few minutes to come up with your own examples, all in the name of spiritual awareness!
Thought for the day: God, we pray to be aware of what kind of spirit is trying to influence us to follow its ways, and for the wisdom and resolve to follow Yours.
We encourage you to include a time of prayer with this reading. If you need a place to get started, consider the suggestions on the How to Pray page.