Tag: Ephesians

Posted in faith, Food

There’s so much more to come

Posted on by William Douthwaite
  • “Food distributors announce recalls. Do you have any of these products in your pantry? Details right after this.” You keep watching through two minutes of commercials, hooked by the announcer’s teaser.
  • The first thing you see at the restaurant is the appetizer menu. Looking down the list, you’re suddenly a lot hungrier than you were when parking the car.
  • As you browse the new fiction at the library, the paragraphs on the inside cover flap catch your attention. You want to find out more about a mysterious character in an intriguing situation.
  • A glimpse of a mom or dad gives you a clue what a young woman or man will look like in twenty years. For better or worse, that’s the DNA they’ve got to work with.

All of the above comes to mind when the apostle Paul describes the Holy Spirit as “the deposit (down payment) of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it” (Ephesians 1:13,14). The faith-working Holy Spirit in us is a reminder that there is much more to come. The world around us seems to unravel more each day. People let us down. Nothing seems to last very long. We too quickly lose the ones we love.

On the other hand, God holds the universe together. He’s faithful and eternal. Nothing can separate us from his steadfast love that never ceases. His new morning mercies make us stay tuned for more details, create a craving in us for more, lead us to read the book, and imagine what we’ll be like one day.

Posted in Grace

Grace and peace

Posted on by William Douthwaite

“Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ” (Ephesians 1:23).

The apostle Paul begins most of his New Testament letters with this or a similar phrase. I used those words to start many of my sermons, too. To be honest, I’ve always glossed over Paul’s initial greetings to get to the meat of the book of the Bible.

But reading through Ephesians this time, using a bible study app*, I paused to consider the importance of “grace” and “peace.”

What would happen if you brought grace and peace into your relationships and conversations? What if you brought something positive that someone didn’t deserve instead of complaints or criticism? That would definitely be a gift, or, as they say, grace. Your encouragement might bring peace, something that settles a heart or soul.

Here’s the bonus. If you bring grace and peace to a situation, that will be your take home. Preaching God’s grace and the peace we have through Christ hits home with me as well as my audience. I need to hear and believe those truths, too.

Anything that brings grace and peace is powerful. Anyone who brings grace and peace are welcome additions to any gathering. Maybe I could be that anyone. Maybe you could.

*WordGo, an app from Bible Study Fellowship

Posted in Through the Bible Devotions

The Power of Compassion and Forgiveness in Daily Life

Posted on by William Douthwaite
Photo by Adam Nemeroff on Unsplash

A few “through the bible” thoughts from Ephesians 4.

“Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you” (Ephesians 4:32).

On the heels of what not to do, it’s so nice to hear some positive encouragement. We probably know more about what the bible says we shouldn’t do rather than the positive we can do. Paul’s words direct us to kindness, compassion, and forgiveness. On any given day, you or I or the world could use a little more of any of those.

Harsh, impatient, demanding, rude, selfish. That’s easy. I’ve mastered those attitudes and behaviors. Kindness? That’s more difficult. Ironically, kindness isn’t hard at all. It’s expressed in small but significant ways. Hold open a door. Grab something at the store for someone. Pick up a trashcan that’s toppled over in a driveway. Bring donuts.

Compassion prevents me from looking down on people or judging them too quickly. I don’t know their story. I don’t know what’s weighing on their minds or burdening their hearts. Compassion makes me want to listen, learn, and give them some slack.

Forgiveness? I’m the poster child for forgiveness. So are you. Without God’s forgiveness, you’re toast. But in Christ, who suffered and died a horrendous death in your place, God forgives. You could extend a little grace to others. Jesus loves them, too. No matter how annoying, irritating, or cruel they are, Jesus died for them too. I know. Incredible.

Kind, compassionate, forgiving. That’s how I (we) make a difference.

Posted in Through the Bible Devotions

More or less: a different kind of math

Posted on by William Douthwaite
Photo by Valentina Giarre on Unsplash

Some “through the bible” thoughts from Ephesians 3.

“I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge” (Ephesians 3:17-19).

I measure lots of things: the inseam of my pants, 3-1/2 cups of flour for a batch of sugar cookies, 1/3 c. of food for the little dog, the weight of a dumbbell, how much time to drive to a destination, the area of a rug, the brightness of a lightbulb, days until Christmas (lol), how long I slept, and how many steps I took today.

Churches measure lots of things, too. Leaders track worship attendance, offerings, membership numbers to track progress, plan programs, and strategize ministry.

One of Paul’s prayers for the believers in Ephesus is that they would have the power to grasp the dimensions of Christ’s love, a measurement that goes far beyond mere knowledge (numbers).

We miscalculate those dimensions. Someone has wandered too far away from God’s care. The bar to please God is as low as our best efforts. He doesn’t have time to care about our down days, so we have to pull ourselves out of a funk. His promises are out of reach.

The truth is much different. No one is beyond God’s reach. The bar of righteousness is way over our heads. He’s really close, right there with us on our worst days. His promises aren’t far away at all, lodged in our hearts. We underestimate our sinfulness. We underestimate his grace, too.