Wana appEPHESIANSChikamu
"Eulogy’ means a ‘good word’. Paul starts his letter to the Ephesian Christians with an eulogy to God – he wants people to know that ‘God is good!’
First, he is good because he ‘approves’ (vs.3-4), that is what ‘bless’ means. God approves people like Paul – a murderer turned messenger – to dwell with him. How is this possible?
Well, secondly, God is good because he chooses to deal with human sin (the attitude and action that says, ‘I am God and God is not’) (vs.5-8). He does this through the life, death and resurrection of his Son, Jesus.
Third, God is good because this has always been his plan (vs.9-10); to make sense of this world through Jesus. That means that the goodness of God is experienced best, and most fully, by being connected to Jesus (‘in him’ – vs.11-14). How good is God!
Question:
How have you experienced ‘God is good’ as Paul outlines here?
Prayer:
Dear God, you are good because you take sinners and approve them to be ‘holy and blameless’ in your presence. Thank you that this has always been your willing plan in Christ Jesus. Thank you that I have experienced that goodness. Amen.
Rugwaro
Zvinechekuita neHurongwa uhu
In rural Australia - we are very keen on "identity" - who we are, what drives us, where we are going, where we fit in life. God is pretty keen on identity too - and Paul writes Ephesians with that in mind. As we move through Ephesians, God lovingly draws us back to know the confidence of who we are as his people, in this world, moved by his purposes.
More
