A Weekday Paragraph is a short scripture and a short paragraph (or two or three . . .LOL) of how it applies to my life. This is written by a Christian who is growing in her relationship with Jesus, for other growing Christians. Please be encouraged, challenged or both . . . and feel free to comment or reply.
Ephesians 2:4 – 6 But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love that He had for us, made us alive with the Messiah even though we were dead in trespasses. You are saved by grace! Together with Christ Jesus He also raised us up and seated us in the heavens, so that in the coming ages He might display the immeasurable riches of His grace through His kindness to us in Christ Jesus.
God created me in my mother’s womb. I was created to have a relationship with Him. However, there was something in the way — my own sin, what this verse calls ‘trespasses’. God is holy and has a right to want holiness from his children, including me. I could pretend that I was doing okay on my own, because I hadn’t committed murder or adultery, but God’s law also demands no gossip, no covetousness and no lieing. Oops–I’m guilty of at least one of those!
When I could not meet God’s standard, He graciously allowed me to realize, that Jesus, His Son, had met the standard, and then died for me, so that I could have a relationship with Jesus and the Father.
Jesus is the Lord of Glory and I’m just me. Ordinary me, working at an ordinary job, living in an ordinary apartment, with an ordinary husband (okay, I guess I should say my husband’s wonderful . . . LOL). I do ordinary things: play the piano, write, take pictures, scrapbook, cook, wait on the customers of the business I work for . . . Yet Jesus still wants to spend time with me.
He wants me to spend time seated in heavenly places with Him. That means just hanging out, looking at the world (and my life) from his perspective. I can get overwhelmed by whatever it is I’m facing that day, (Oh yes, I should say I have ordinary problems too — that which we face is common to man.) I can get upset by what a co-worker or other person does or does not do. I have experienced health and financial challenges, as many people have. Yet, I don’t have to spend all my time focusing on the issues in my life — I get to spend some time hanging out with Jesus! And He is not overwhelmed by what is happening in my life or the world around me.
I encourage you — hang out with Jesus for at least a little while today. He wants to sit with you too.
Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holman Christian Standard Bible, Copyright 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by Permission. Holman Christian Standard Bible, Holman CSB and HCSB are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers.
copyright: K Carswell, 2020
Photo credit: M Carswell
"Crucified, Hidden, Seated" 