As part of my own daily devotions I am posting my own paraphrases of the the Daily Lectionary here on my blog (along with a short reflection on one or more of the readings). God willing, this will not be a short term thing.
Ephesians 4:1-6
Therefore, I, a prisoner for the Lord,
urge you to live in a manner worthy of the calling you have received,
with all humility and gentleness, with patience,
bearing with one another through love,
and striving to preserve the unity of the spirit
through the bond of peace.
[There is] one Body and one Spirit,
just as you were also called to the one hope of your calling;
one Lord, one faith, one baptism;
one God and Father of all,
who is over all and through all and in all.
Psalm 24:1-6
The earth is the LORD’s and it’s fullness;
the world and those who dwell in it.
For he founded it upon the seas
and established it upon the rivers.
Who can ascend the mountain of the LORD?
or who will stand in his holy place?
He whose hands are clean and whose heart is pure,
who does not lift up his soul falsehood,
nor sworn deceitfully.
He will receive a blessing from the LORD,
and justice from God his savior.
Such is the generation that seeks him,
that seeks the face of the God of Jacob.
Luke 12:54-59
Jesus said to the crowd,
“When you see a cloud rise in the west
you immediately say that a storm is coming,
and so it does.
And he also said to the crowd,
“When the wind is blowing from the south
you say that there will be scorching heat, and so it is.
You hypocrites!
You can discern the appearance of the earth and the sky;
but why do you not know how to discern the present time?
“And why do you not judge for yourselves what is right?
When you go with your opponent before a magistrate,
make an effort to settle the matter on the way,
lest your opponent turn you over to the judge,
and the judge hand you over to the officer,
and the officer throw you into prison.
I tell you, you will not be released
until you have paid the very last cent.”
Reflection for Today from Ephesians
Today’s reading from Ephesians is one of my favorites from this book. I particularly like when Paul admonishes his readers to “live in a manner worthy of the calling you have received, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another through love, and striving to preserve the unity of the spirit through the bond of peace.”
It is so easy for us to get all worked up when it comes to dealing with our brothers and sisters in the faith, especially when they disagree with our own views or have prickly personalities. All four of of Paul’s points in this passage have to do with how we react to others. We are told to be humble, to be gentle and to live with patience (or what is sometimes translated as “long-suffering”). And why do we put up with people we might not normally associate with outside of the church? Why put others and their needs before our own? So that the unity of the spirit can be preserved. A church divided cannot long stand, and further, it is an awful witness to the world around it. There are far too many churches like that already. We don’t need another one.
Quote for Today
“Humility is the secret of fellowship, and pride the secret of division.” – Robert C. Chapman
Filed under: 19-The Psalms, 42-Luke, 49-Ephesians, Lectionary, Reflection, Scripture Paraphrase Tagged: daily lectionary, devotion, Ephesians 4:1-6, Luke 12:54-59, Psalm 24:1-6, reflection, unity Image may be NSFW.
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