Reflections for Lent

Ephesians 2:1-10 NRSV

You were dead through the trespasses and sins in which you once lived, following the course of this world, following the ruler of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work among those who are disobedient. All of us once lived among them in the passions of our flesh, following the desires of flesh and senses, and we were by nature children of wrath, like everyone else. But God, who is rich in mercy, out of the great love with which he loved us even when we were dead through our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ —by grace you have been saved— and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the ages to come he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God— not the result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are what he has made us, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand to be our way of life.

Have you ever watched someone drowning in a movie?  They are splashing and flailing and making it very obvious that they are in need of help.  However, that’s not how it works in real life.  I didn’t learn this until I was at the lake with my family last summer.  I was sitting on the shore when I noticed my daughter silently struggling to keep her face above the water and going under several times.  I leapt in after her and pulled her out.  She wrapped her little arms around my neck and couldn’t really talk for a little while because she was so scared. 

She didn’t understand that she was drowning, but she realized after I had pulled her from the water that I had saved her life.

This is so similar to our own journeys.  We live our daily lives, barely keeping our heads above water and finding ourselves going under.  But through His son Jesus, God extends His hand and scoops us up from our struggle and sets our feet on solid ground.  We can’t do it ourselves because we often don’t even realize that we are drowning.  We were just struggling to keep afloat until we grasp God’s beautiful, merciful grace, and he rescues us out of our worldly struggles.  The beautiful thing about it is that God not only pulls us out of the struggle, but he also offers us a life of purpose and meaning as we walk with Him through our daily lives.

The end of today’s verses say that God has prepared works for us to join Him in.  He rescues us and sets us on a new path of purpose and meaning.  What a beautiful gift!

~Megan Stafford~

Father, Thank You for your saving grace.  Thank You for setting my feet on solid ground.  Help me to walk in works that You prepared for me.  I want to partner with You and see Your heart come to life in the world around me.  Give me the boldness that I need to walk as one redeemed. In Jesus name I pray, Amen