WE ARE GOD’S WORKS-IN-PROGRESS

“…and he has put all things under his feet and has made him the head over all things for the church, which is his body, the fulness of him who fills all in all. And you he made alive, when you were dead through the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience.” (Eph 1: 22 – 2: 2)

Is St. Paul alleging that we, members of “the church, which is his body, the fulness of him who fills all in all,” no longer “sin” or “trespass,” – hence we are “alive”? No, the Apostle knows that we are “alive” as works-in-progress, as His “workmanship” (Eph 2:10). We still sin and trespass on occasion, falling short of the “fulness” that is not of us but “of Him who fills all in all.”

St. Paul is asserting that our purpose has changed. We have been dedicated and “made alive” to His calling; to God’s purpose for us. As he writes a few verses after the ones quoted above, “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them” (Eph 2: 10). We now are blessed with knowing the Way that we should walk, even if we do so imperfectly. We no longer strive to walk the pointless way we “once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air…”

Thank You, Lord, for making us alive to true fulness, Your fulness, and alive to the fact that the course of this world is not “it.” None of the “courses” or “princes” or “powers” of this world can ever fill the hole in our hearts, once we are made alive to God. Even if we slip and fall, perhaps time and again, we can always come back and be restored in and by His Body that is the Church. Today I re-connect with You, Lord, as Your grateful work-in-progress, that I may truly walk and move forward in You. Happy Tuesday, dear Friends! For the saints of today on the NC and OC (the Martyr Sophia & her 3 daughters Faith, Hope and Love; and the Prophet Moses) tune in to my new audio-podcast for this week at the link in the comment below.