Finding our place ~ Ephesians 3

Belonging – seven days of looking at if we do, (prompted by Ephesians 2.19) … how it feels, what it looks like, and how we can contribute to our own sense of it, and that of others. O, I so want to belong … at least somewhere! And whether you know it or not, so do you. Before that, we considered living life on purpose – including God’s lofty, unique plans for us, since he looks at you and me as his handiwork, his craftsmanship, his beautiful piece of artistry intended to do good work, (chapter two, verse 10). There was the plea for contentment, and from the first verses of chapter two, we were prompted to consider death, life, and life eternal … and in that, ‘our best day ever’! And now, look with me at chapter three in full, before we zoom in to apply these passages to our lives today.

“This is why I, Paul, am in jail for Christ, having taken up the cause of you outsiders, so-called. I take it that you’re familiar with the part I was given in God’s plan for including everybody. I got the inside story on this from God himself, as I just wrote you in brief. As you read what I have written, you will understand my insight into this plan regarding Christ. God did not reveal it to previous generations, but now by his Spirit he has revealed it to his holy apostles and prophets.

And this is God’s plan: Both Gentiles and Jews who believe the Good News share equally in the riches inherited by God’s children. Both are part of the same body, and both enjoy the promise of blessings because they belong to Christ Jesus. By God’s grace and mighty power, I have been given the privilege of serving him by spreading this Good News.

Though I am the least deserving of all God’s people, he graciously gave me the privilege of telling the Gentiles about the endless treasures available to them in Christ. I was chosen to explain to everyone this mysterious plan that God, the Creator of all things, had kept secret from the beginning.

God’s purpose in all this was to use the church to display his wisdom in its rich variety to all the unseen rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. This was his eternal plan, which he carried out through Christ Jesus our Lord.

Because of Christ and our faith in him, we can now come boldly and confidently into God’s presence. So please don’t lose heart because of my trials here. I am suffering for you, so you should feel honored.

When I think of all this, I fall to my knees and pray to the Father, the Creator of everything in heaven and on earth. I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.

Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. Glory to him in the church and in Christ Jesus through all generations forever and ever! Amen.”

So that is where we find ourselves, caught in Paul’s thoughts, and captured by the nature of a God who loves us in such a far-reaching, complete manner we cannot help but consider its implications for us.

Christine Todd DiGiacomo