As I’m thinking through these scriptures and trying to discern God’s word for us this week, here are some of my first thoughts:
I’m struck again by the beauty of the language of Ephesians. Listen to these great phrases (say them out loud!):
“I… beg you to lead a life worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness….”
“Bearing with one another in love…”
“Some would be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry…”
“Building itself up in love.”
This is one of those biblical notions that we’re pretty familiar with: we all have different gifts, but we work together to be the body of Christ. But our familiarity doesn’t mean it isn’t true. I’ve seen it just this week around the church; many of you have been here working in lots of different ways, on different projects, according to your gifts and talents, but all to the glory of God.
It’s a good passage to consider as Disciples are gathering for the General Assembly this week. We’ll come from all over the world, all with different gifts, different visions, different calls from God about our ministry together. But we’ll join together in worship and we’ll be – we are – one body in Christ.
I’m also intrigued by this idea of calling. “Lead a life worty of the calling to which you have been called.” We in the church talk about being “called to ministry,” and we usually mean someone who has been called to a career in the church. But it seems to me that we’re all called to something – or more than one thing, usually, and it’s good to be reminded that everything we do ought to be done to the glory of God, to the build up the body of Christ.
Anyway, I’ll think more about this in Indianpolis this week, and we’ll talk more Sunday.
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