"I ask for the grace to pray and meditate faithfully, in service to the one that calls us out of chaos into order, and out of order into chaos. I ask for patience, tolerance, compassion, empathy, and gentleness. I ask to abstain from anger, anxiety, arrogance, compulsive behaviour, cynicism, discouragement, and self-importance. I ask to know and follow Jesus more closely, seeking justice, loving kindness, and walking humbly.
Ephesians 1:5-10
5He destined us for adoption as his children through Jesus Christ, according to the good pleasure of his will, 6to the praise of his glorious grace that he freely bestowed on us in the Beloved. 7In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace 8that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and insight 9he has made known to us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure that he set forth in Christ, 10as a plan for the fullness of time, to gather up all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.
1) "...the good pleasure of his will;" "...glorious grace;" "...freely bestowed;" "...the riches of his grace;" "...that he lavished on us;" "...all wisdom and insight;" "...a plan for the fullness of time;" "...to gather up al things in him, things in heaven and things on earth;" "...destined us for adoption as his children;"
2) It was a beautiful morning as I ran this morning. I ran with my "constant companions" and it occurred to me that I am not feeling "more shame than any mortal could possibly forebear" that I've experienced in the past when aware of my companions. It seems that a prayer around tolerance, and patience with those companions has been answered. I can't say there's empathy or compassion yet, but tolerance is an improvement. Here in Ephesians 1, Paul speaks as one who has come to the end, or at least has tremendous hope that it is possible, even inevitable, that everyone "destined... for adoption as his children through Jesus Christ" will be free of the fetters "of our trespasses." Paul is full of confident praise. "With all wisdom and insight [God] has made known to [Paul and his communities] the mystery of [God's] will, according to [God's] good pleasure that [God] set forth in Christ, as a plan for the fullness of time to gather up all things in [God], things in heaven and things on earth." At any rate, our "constant companions" are not an obstacle to God's love. God's love that can still be witnessed in community and intimate relationships. Thanks to all God's wisdom and insight, our "constant companions" do not need to impede in right relationships.
3) What is the invitation in all this? To be grateful for prayers answered, even if I didn't know what I was asking for. To continue to trust this journey. To acknowledge that it is simply the way it is that when we seek deeper self-knowing through Christ, we are going to come to discover things we don't like. Anything else, would not be following Christ.
"Holy One, thank you for wisdom and insight."
Breathprayer: "Riches... lavished on us."
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