Saturday, August 1, 2015

THAT MUCH grace

Ephesians 4:7-13
But each of us was given grace according to the measure of Christ's gift. Therefore it is said, "When he ascended on high he made captivity itself a captive; he gave gifts to his people." (When it says, "He ascended", what does it mean but that he had also descended into the lower parts of the earth? He who descended is the same one who ascended far above all the heavens, so that he might fill all things.) The gifts he gave were that some would be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until all of us come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to maturity, to the measure of the full stature of Christ.
Lord God,
it is your ministry,
your work of reconciliation,
your work of forgiveness,
your work of grace,
your work of acceptance and embrace.
And yet you entrust that ministry to us.

You give us
"grace according to the measure of Christ's gift."
That's a LARGE measure.
Sufficient grace.
Enough grace.
Amazing grace.
Plenty-left-to-share grace.

You give us grace and gifts
in order that we may fulfill YOUR ministry
so that we may build up the body of Christ
so that we may be united in faith
so that we may be matured into the FULL stature of Christ.
That's a TALL order.

Our world is so divided --
Political divisions,
Social divisions,
Racial divisions,
Religious divisions,
Economic divisions,
Family divisions...

Unity escapes our grasp
even (or maybe especially) in the church.
No wonder you give us
"grace according to the measure of Christ's gift."
It's going to take THAT MUCH grace
to stand united,
to measure up to the full stature of Christ.

So today, I pray BOLDLY:
give us the FULLNESS of your grace
the FULLNESS of your gifts
so that we may fulfill
your mission and ministry in the world
uniting ALL in the faith and knowledge
of your Son,
Savior of the world,
Jesus Christ.
May it be so today,
and every day!
Amen.

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