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"And He said to me, 'Prophesy over these bones, and say to them, 'O dry bones, hear the word of the Lord''...So I prophesied as I was commanded; and as I prophesied, there was a noise, and behold, a rattling; and the bones came together, bone to its bone" (Ezekiel 37:4,7)
I cannot imagine preaching to a valley of dried-out, sun-bleached human bones, beloved, and I stand in awe of Ezekiel for the way in which he was able to do so! I have stood in pulpits where it was the last place I wanted to be and preached to people for whom I was likely the last person they wanted to hear, but that is still a far cry from Ezekiel's valley of dry bones!
What really grabs my attention about Ezekiel is that, regardless of what he may have thought of what God had commanded him, he did it faithfully and apparently with great passion. Imagine being told: "Preach to these bones!" From a preacher's perspective, nothing seems more a waste of time and energy than preaching to those who can neither hear nor see. Yet Ezekiel proclaimed to those bones the unmistakable truths of God's word as if they were all pulled together and hanging upon every word!
As Ezekiel obediently carried out God's command to him, a wonderful thing began to happen. Bone began to move toward bone until they were connected as they had once been however long before. Ligaments and tendons joined bone to bone and bone to muscle, blood vessels appearing and tissues and skin covering each restored individual. As Ezekiel continued to preach God's word, there suddenly arose before him "an exceedingly great army" (v.10).
Should it surprise us, beloved, that God commanded Ezekiel to proclaim truth faithfully to even those dried up old bones? Do you recall the apostle Paul's exhortation to a young preacher named Timothy?
"Preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction" (2 Timothy 4:2)
We may all at one time or another encounter our own "valley of dry bones," a situation in which we feel that we are not doing God any good, that no one cares and no one is listening. Those are the times that most try our endurance, those times when we feel that our energies are being wasted. Yet that is not God's concern, just as it was not when He commanded Ezekiel to prophesy. His concern is rather that we do what we have been put there to do and just leave the outcome to Him.
What an encouragement I find Ezekiel to be in these verses, beloved! He is an encouragement to me personally to remain faithful where God has me and not to worry about who is listening or who is not, about who is being changed or who is not. And that is precisely why and how you and I need to keep right on proclaiming the good news of Jesus Christ to a world that seems to care less. Let God connect the bones, beloved! Let's you and I just determine that like Ezekiel we are going to keep on preaching!
Ron
Thursday, July 23, 2009
Thursday, July 16, 2009
You Never Know Whom You'll Meet in a Tight Spot!
"He answered and said, 'Look! I see four men loosed and walking about in the midst of the fire without harm, and the appearance of the fourth is like a son of the gods!'" (Daniel 3:25)
Three young Hebrew men learned a wonderful lesson about God, beloved, and they learned it, of all places, right smack in the middle of a blazing furnace! Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, better known to us by their Babylonian names given to them by the king - Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego - had made a serious decision concerning the degree of their commitment to God. And that commitment had cost them their personal freedom and a one-way trip to Babylon's biggest bonfire! They certainly hoped that God would choose to keep them out of the fire, but their determination to obey Him was just as resolute even if He did not:
"But even if He does not, let it be known to you, O king, that we are not going to serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up" (Daniel 3:18)
But it is upon those moments when they were actually in the furnace that I would like for us to focus briefly, beloved. Note carefully that Nebuchadnezzar had ordered three men bound and three men cast into the furnace. And knowing that surely even a pagan like Nebuchadnezzar could count to three, how utterly shocked he was to look into the furnace as was his perverted pleasure to do and find four men "loosed and walking about" unharmed in the flames! And even that pagan king could see the resemblance to divinity when he described the fourth man as being "like a son of the gods."
This incident is replete with wonderful lessons for us as Christians today. One that occurs to me immediately is that Shadrach and Meshach and Abed-nego knew that the furnace was coming. It came as no surprise to them when they were trussed up for their brave stand and cast into a smoking, blazing inferno. Today we should never be surprised when the fiery trials of this life come our way. In our heart of hearts we know they're coming, beloved. And especially as Christians who take a stand in this sinful world for Jesus Christ, we've got to know that our faithful dedication to Him is going to bring some "fire" into our future!
"And indeed, all those who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted" (2 Timothy 3:12)
A couple of other truths occur to me as I read this familiar passage again. One is that God isn't always going to keep us out of the flames. I know that we, like the three Hebrew men here, would love for Him to do just that, but it just isn't always going to happen. Sometimes the simple truth is that the flames are part of the plan! Nowhere in God's word will you find Him promising us that we will not know tribulation. Quite the opposite!
"Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing" (James 1:2-4)
Another truth that occurs to me is that God isn't ever going to leave us alone in the flames. What we go through in life, we never go through alone. If we take time to look around, wherever the trial may take us, there will always be an extra person present! And if Nebuchadnezzar could recognize His divinity through the scratched-up glass of a furnace window, then surely we can spot Jesus because He will never be far away:
"Let your character be free from the love of money, being content with what you have; for He Himself has said, 'I will never desert you, nor will I ever forsake you,' so that we confidently say, 'The Lord is my helper, I will not be afraid. What shall man do to me?'" (Hebrews 13:5-6)
One other truth that occurs to me, beloved, is that unbelievers will always be watching every time we are tossed into the flames of this life. Know it or not, like it or not, skeptics and mockers will be watching to see how we handle the fire, just as they did for Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego. How we handle our trials will be some kind of witness to this watching world.
Just as God brought three Hebrew men through a furnace of blazing fire and caused a king to stand amazed and even declare that He is "the Most High God," so today God will astound those who watch what you suffer, beloved. He will, that is, if like Shadrach and Meshach and Abed-nego we determine that, come what may, we are going to be true to God. So we can know whom we are going to meet in that next tight spot, beloved! And you can look for Him and find Him with you every time that you by God's design encounter one of the many trials of life. Let me encourage you, then, to always look for Jesus first when the tough times come. When you know He's there with you, somehow it just looks different!
Ron
Three young Hebrew men learned a wonderful lesson about God, beloved, and they learned it, of all places, right smack in the middle of a blazing furnace! Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, better known to us by their Babylonian names given to them by the king - Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego - had made a serious decision concerning the degree of their commitment to God. And that commitment had cost them their personal freedom and a one-way trip to Babylon's biggest bonfire! They certainly hoped that God would choose to keep them out of the fire, but their determination to obey Him was just as resolute even if He did not:
"But even if He does not, let it be known to you, O king, that we are not going to serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up" (Daniel 3:18)
But it is upon those moments when they were actually in the furnace that I would like for us to focus briefly, beloved. Note carefully that Nebuchadnezzar had ordered three men bound and three men cast into the furnace. And knowing that surely even a pagan like Nebuchadnezzar could count to three, how utterly shocked he was to look into the furnace as was his perverted pleasure to do and find four men "loosed and walking about" unharmed in the flames! And even that pagan king could see the resemblance to divinity when he described the fourth man as being "like a son of the gods."
This incident is replete with wonderful lessons for us as Christians today. One that occurs to me immediately is that Shadrach and Meshach and Abed-nego knew that the furnace was coming. It came as no surprise to them when they were trussed up for their brave stand and cast into a smoking, blazing inferno. Today we should never be surprised when the fiery trials of this life come our way. In our heart of hearts we know they're coming, beloved. And especially as Christians who take a stand in this sinful world for Jesus Christ, we've got to know that our faithful dedication to Him is going to bring some "fire" into our future!
"And indeed, all those who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted" (2 Timothy 3:12)
A couple of other truths occur to me as I read this familiar passage again. One is that God isn't always going to keep us out of the flames. I know that we, like the three Hebrew men here, would love for Him to do just that, but it just isn't always going to happen. Sometimes the simple truth is that the flames are part of the plan! Nowhere in God's word will you find Him promising us that we will not know tribulation. Quite the opposite!
"Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing" (James 1:2-4)
Another truth that occurs to me is that God isn't ever going to leave us alone in the flames. What we go through in life, we never go through alone. If we take time to look around, wherever the trial may take us, there will always be an extra person present! And if Nebuchadnezzar could recognize His divinity through the scratched-up glass of a furnace window, then surely we can spot Jesus because He will never be far away:
"Let your character be free from the love of money, being content with what you have; for He Himself has said, 'I will never desert you, nor will I ever forsake you,' so that we confidently say, 'The Lord is my helper, I will not be afraid. What shall man do to me?'" (Hebrews 13:5-6)
One other truth that occurs to me, beloved, is that unbelievers will always be watching every time we are tossed into the flames of this life. Know it or not, like it or not, skeptics and mockers will be watching to see how we handle the fire, just as they did for Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego. How we handle our trials will be some kind of witness to this watching world.
Just as God brought three Hebrew men through a furnace of blazing fire and caused a king to stand amazed and even declare that He is "the Most High God," so today God will astound those who watch what you suffer, beloved. He will, that is, if like Shadrach and Meshach and Abed-nego we determine that, come what may, we are going to be true to God. So we can know whom we are going to meet in that next tight spot, beloved! And you can look for Him and find Him with you every time that you by God's design encounter one of the many trials of life. Let me encourage you, then, to always look for Jesus first when the tough times come. When you know He's there with you, somehow it just looks different!
Ron
Thursday, July 9, 2009
"Drop-off" Discipleship?
"And these words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart; and you shall teach them diligently to your sons and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up" (Deuteronomy 6:6-7)
Just reading the words of Moses to the children of Israel brings back into sharp focus once again, beloved, those occasions so many years ago when as a child I would see Mom push back the dishes on the dinner table to make room for Dad's Bible which he brought out faithfully. We would sit together at the table as a family and receive carefully the instruction of God's Word. Then Mom would ask us if there was any special prayer request we might have and we would all pray together, each in turn, as a family. I can tell you without any fear of contradiction, beloved, that my own formal Bible training served only to confirm, to hone, and to fine-tune the truths of God that I learned from godly parents in a Christ-centered home.
Can there be any doubt at all that such a practice as this was precisely what God had in mind when He instructed Moses to write these commands concerning the discipling of one's children? It was, in fact, the way that God chose to insure that His divine truths for living would be not only passed from one generation to the next, but would be lived out faithfully by each of them. The terms "sit in your house" and "walk by the way" and "lie down" and "rise up" serve only to confirm that the spiritual nourishing of the young has always been and is now the responsibility of the home!
Unfortunately we see the common practice today that, when we are away from "church," we as parents tend to postpone any and all such training until we are back at "church" the next time. Worse than that, we have made the mistake of leaving it to the church to accomplish what God intended all along to take place at home.
Is the instruction offered at Bible-believing churches today important? Absolutely! But know this, beloved, that God never intended for Sunday School or Vacation Bible School or Christian camp or the academy classroom to take the place of the home as the primary site for personal discipleship to be accomplished. Nor was any preacher or pastor or youth worker or Sunday School teacher ever meant to replace godly parents who are sold out to Jesus Christ.
"Drop-off" discipleship does not work, beloved! And it is past time for Christian parents to step up and handle what God has always intended for us to handle. The ministries of the local church and the local Christian school are there to help out in this most important work of growing children into godly adults. But they cannot and must not be used in any way as a substitute for the influence of parents living solidly for Jesus Christ! Instead of just "dropping off" our kids at this meeting or that, let's start "dropping down" on our knees with them, studying God's Word together and beseeching God in prayer for the grace and courage to be what He has called us to be. Parent or grandparent, may God bless you in this endeavor!
Ron
Just reading the words of Moses to the children of Israel brings back into sharp focus once again, beloved, those occasions so many years ago when as a child I would see Mom push back the dishes on the dinner table to make room for Dad's Bible which he brought out faithfully. We would sit together at the table as a family and receive carefully the instruction of God's Word. Then Mom would ask us if there was any special prayer request we might have and we would all pray together, each in turn, as a family. I can tell you without any fear of contradiction, beloved, that my own formal Bible training served only to confirm, to hone, and to fine-tune the truths of God that I learned from godly parents in a Christ-centered home.
Can there be any doubt at all that such a practice as this was precisely what God had in mind when He instructed Moses to write these commands concerning the discipling of one's children? It was, in fact, the way that God chose to insure that His divine truths for living would be not only passed from one generation to the next, but would be lived out faithfully by each of them. The terms "sit in your house" and "walk by the way" and "lie down" and "rise up" serve only to confirm that the spiritual nourishing of the young has always been and is now the responsibility of the home!
Unfortunately we see the common practice today that, when we are away from "church," we as parents tend to postpone any and all such training until we are back at "church" the next time. Worse than that, we have made the mistake of leaving it to the church to accomplish what God intended all along to take place at home.
Is the instruction offered at Bible-believing churches today important? Absolutely! But know this, beloved, that God never intended for Sunday School or Vacation Bible School or Christian camp or the academy classroom to take the place of the home as the primary site for personal discipleship to be accomplished. Nor was any preacher or pastor or youth worker or Sunday School teacher ever meant to replace godly parents who are sold out to Jesus Christ.
"Drop-off" discipleship does not work, beloved! And it is past time for Christian parents to step up and handle what God has always intended for us to handle. The ministries of the local church and the local Christian school are there to help out in this most important work of growing children into godly adults. But they cannot and must not be used in any way as a substitute for the influence of parents living solidly for Jesus Christ! Instead of just "dropping off" our kids at this meeting or that, let's start "dropping down" on our knees with them, studying God's Word together and beseeching God in prayer for the grace and courage to be what He has called us to be. Parent or grandparent, may God bless you in this endeavor!
Ron
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Don't Shelve the Truth!
"For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against the ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness" (Romans 1:18)
I recall vividly hearing a preacher years ago describe the impact of this word "suppress," beloved. As I remember his illustration, he said that it would be like someone trying to press down a giant spring that is meant to be fully expanded and operational, to put so much weight and pressure on it that it would forever be completely compressed, hidden and totally ineffective.
I witnessed this morning a live interview on the television news that illustrates so beautifully the effect of the term "suppress the truth" that I felt compelled to post these devotional thoughts to my blog site concerning it. An EPA scientist was being interviewed by the media this morning and revealed that he had written a report showing that further investigation on the issue of "global warming" needs to be done because his research shows that global temperatures may be dropping instead of rising. Those above him, however, instead of forwarding this scientific report to the group charged by the president with examining such facts and recommending policy to the present administration, have chosen to "shelve" his report because it is not in the best interests of the current administration leading the United States. In other words, beloved, they have chosen to "suppress" at least this truth concerning global warming!
Should that surprise us at all as Christians? Let me give you an example of other "suppression" of truth which is going on right now in the US and around the world, one that is not only having a negative impact on mankind at this present time, but which if left unchecked will have an impact for all of eternity. I am reading a wonderful book entitled Why Won't They Listen? written by well-known speaker and author Ken Ham, founder of the "Answers in Genesis" worldwide ministry. In his book, Ken shows how society has moved away from a belief in God as the creator and sustainer of life. Evolutionary thought has so invaded the thinking of people that the Bible has lost its authority in their thinking. Thus, they will not listen to the message of Jesus' sacrifice on the cross because those who are promoting such evolutionary ideas have successfully "suppressed the truth in unrighteousness." The Bible has been discredited and the existence of God discounted in the thinking of so many people. Such thinking has led to the notion that we may now establish our own standard of what is right and wrong and that we are accountable to no one except ourselves. I am quite sure that you can think of many areas of public life today, beloved, where such suppression of divine truth has led to unrighteous living!
So what is the solution for us as Christians? It is the same that it has always been. We need to proclaim the truths of God whenever and wherever we have opportunity, now more than ever. We need to rebut the false claims of evolutionary thinking by revealing the creation-truth of God's Word. The apostle Peter has himself given us the solution to this 21st century dilemma:
"But sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account of the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence" (1 Peter 3:15)
More than anything else, however, we need to live out powerfully the truth of God that is being so suppressed by unrighteous people. There is no more compelling evidence to be found in any laboratory than can be seen in the life of a dedicated follower of Jesus Christ! Listen to what the apostle Peter went on to say to believers of his day:
"You therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, be on your guard lest, being carried away by the error of unprincipled men, you fall from your own steadfastness, but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory, both now and to the day of eternity. Amen" (2 Peter 3:17-18)
May the Holy Spirit strengthen and enrich you, beloved, as you present to a watching world the irrepressible truth of the God of all!
Ron
I recall vividly hearing a preacher years ago describe the impact of this word "suppress," beloved. As I remember his illustration, he said that it would be like someone trying to press down a giant spring that is meant to be fully expanded and operational, to put so much weight and pressure on it that it would forever be completely compressed, hidden and totally ineffective.
I witnessed this morning a live interview on the television news that illustrates so beautifully the effect of the term "suppress the truth" that I felt compelled to post these devotional thoughts to my blog site concerning it. An EPA scientist was being interviewed by the media this morning and revealed that he had written a report showing that further investigation on the issue of "global warming" needs to be done because his research shows that global temperatures may be dropping instead of rising. Those above him, however, instead of forwarding this scientific report to the group charged by the president with examining such facts and recommending policy to the present administration, have chosen to "shelve" his report because it is not in the best interests of the current administration leading the United States. In other words, beloved, they have chosen to "suppress" at least this truth concerning global warming!
Should that surprise us at all as Christians? Let me give you an example of other "suppression" of truth which is going on right now in the US and around the world, one that is not only having a negative impact on mankind at this present time, but which if left unchecked will have an impact for all of eternity. I am reading a wonderful book entitled Why Won't They Listen? written by well-known speaker and author Ken Ham, founder of the "Answers in Genesis" worldwide ministry. In his book, Ken shows how society has moved away from a belief in God as the creator and sustainer of life. Evolutionary thought has so invaded the thinking of people that the Bible has lost its authority in their thinking. Thus, they will not listen to the message of Jesus' sacrifice on the cross because those who are promoting such evolutionary ideas have successfully "suppressed the truth in unrighteousness." The Bible has been discredited and the existence of God discounted in the thinking of so many people. Such thinking has led to the notion that we may now establish our own standard of what is right and wrong and that we are accountable to no one except ourselves. I am quite sure that you can think of many areas of public life today, beloved, where such suppression of divine truth has led to unrighteous living!
So what is the solution for us as Christians? It is the same that it has always been. We need to proclaim the truths of God whenever and wherever we have opportunity, now more than ever. We need to rebut the false claims of evolutionary thinking by revealing the creation-truth of God's Word. The apostle Peter has himself given us the solution to this 21st century dilemma:
"But sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account of the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence" (1 Peter 3:15)
More than anything else, however, we need to live out powerfully the truth of God that is being so suppressed by unrighteous people. There is no more compelling evidence to be found in any laboratory than can be seen in the life of a dedicated follower of Jesus Christ! Listen to what the apostle Peter went on to say to believers of his day:
"You therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, be on your guard lest, being carried away by the error of unprincipled men, you fall from your own steadfastness, but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory, both now and to the day of eternity. Amen" (2 Peter 3:17-18)
May the Holy Spirit strengthen and enrich you, beloved, as you present to a watching world the irrepressible truth of the God of all!
Ron
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Where Did All These Hats Come From?
"In all wisdom and insight He made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His kind intention which He purposed in Him with a view to an administration suitable to the fullness of the times, that is, the summing up of all things in Christ, things in the heavens and things upon the earth" (Ephesians 1:8b-10)
You are all no doubt familiar with the expression "wearing many hats," beloved. My wife and I were reminiscing recently about all the jobs we held during the early years of our marriage as we tried to make ends meet. I recall specifically that I at one time or another drove a forklift loading building supplies, wore a badge as a security officer at a federal building, sold audio equipment at a discount chain, transported bulk mail to government agencies from a central federal mail room, crawled under houses as a termite exterminator, and delivered new cars in "dealer trades" for a local auto dealership. Hats? I've worn a few!
In our daily walk as Christians we encounter and get to know people from all walks of life. And these followers of Jesus are as varied and diverse in their backgrounds as are those "hats" that we have all worn at one time or another. Sometimes the diversity that exists among Christians seems so marked that we can easily wonder what the real purpose is behind it all! Or is there a single plan or objective?
The good news, beloved, is that there is such a plan, such a goal, such an objective! All this contrast, this diversity among us as believers works toward a common end. It narrows down toward a single objective. And no one has more eloquently or succinctly described this purpose than the apostle Paul in the opening words of his letter to the church in Ephesus. Note carefully here just a portion taken from the verses printed above:
"...with a view to an administration suitable to the fullness of the times, that is, the summing up of all things in Christ..."
Note closely the single word "administration." The Greek compound word oikonomia means literally "house plan" and is the source of our English word "economy." It refers to that moving of God in our lives through all that He is doing in directing us toward that ultimate purpose. That God definitely has a plan in mind that He is executing faithfully should be a source of tremendous comfort to every true believer today, especially the more "hats" you may be wearing right now.
And what is that "economy" that God is carrying out right now? Paul lets us know that it is the "summing up of all things in Christ." The Greek verb anakephalaioo means "bring together" in the sense of that one ultimate goal or purpose toward which the many and diverse threads of human life are moving. Just what is God up to? Where is He going with all of this mystery that we call "life"? Some would have you believe today that there is no such purpose, that we are all floating in a giant cosmic river of chance and coincidence. William Shakespeare, through his character Macbeth, declared that human history is nothing more than "a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing." But God has declared that human life is not insignificant, that it does move toward a divine end and that is the bringing together of all things in and for the exaltation and glory of the Lord Jesus Christ. From this same Greek verb the noun kephale or "head" comes and that is how Paul describes Christ Himself today over His body, the Church (Ephesians 1:22). Thus, this "summing up" of all things in Christ is further to bring all things together under Him, that is, under His direct and eternal authority:
"Therefore also God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those who are in heaven, and on earth, and under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father" (Philippians 2:9-11).
Don't allow, then, the "diversity" of this life, the many "hats" you may have to wear, beloved, to cause you to lose sight of the one divine purpose toward which your life is moving. Indeed, the day will come when "every knee shall bow" and when "every tongue shall confess" that Jesus Christ is who He has always claimed to be, King of Kings and Lord of Lords. And when God says "every tongue," He means quite literally every tongue! Every God-forsaking, Christ-rejecting, Christian-persecuting tongue of man shall have to acknowledge that Jesus Christ is the real deal and that He rules forever over the affairs of mankind. Hallelujah!
Now go put your hat on and get busy with kingdom work, beloved! You're an essential part of the plan of the eternal God and the end is in sight!
Ron
You are all no doubt familiar with the expression "wearing many hats," beloved. My wife and I were reminiscing recently about all the jobs we held during the early years of our marriage as we tried to make ends meet. I recall specifically that I at one time or another drove a forklift loading building supplies, wore a badge as a security officer at a federal building, sold audio equipment at a discount chain, transported bulk mail to government agencies from a central federal mail room, crawled under houses as a termite exterminator, and delivered new cars in "dealer trades" for a local auto dealership. Hats? I've worn a few!
In our daily walk as Christians we encounter and get to know people from all walks of life. And these followers of Jesus are as varied and diverse in their backgrounds as are those "hats" that we have all worn at one time or another. Sometimes the diversity that exists among Christians seems so marked that we can easily wonder what the real purpose is behind it all! Or is there a single plan or objective?
The good news, beloved, is that there is such a plan, such a goal, such an objective! All this contrast, this diversity among us as believers works toward a common end. It narrows down toward a single objective. And no one has more eloquently or succinctly described this purpose than the apostle Paul in the opening words of his letter to the church in Ephesus. Note carefully here just a portion taken from the verses printed above:
"...with a view to an administration suitable to the fullness of the times, that is, the summing up of all things in Christ..."
Note closely the single word "administration." The Greek compound word oikonomia means literally "house plan" and is the source of our English word "economy." It refers to that moving of God in our lives through all that He is doing in directing us toward that ultimate purpose. That God definitely has a plan in mind that He is executing faithfully should be a source of tremendous comfort to every true believer today, especially the more "hats" you may be wearing right now.
And what is that "economy" that God is carrying out right now? Paul lets us know that it is the "summing up of all things in Christ." The Greek verb anakephalaioo means "bring together" in the sense of that one ultimate goal or purpose toward which the many and diverse threads of human life are moving. Just what is God up to? Where is He going with all of this mystery that we call "life"? Some would have you believe today that there is no such purpose, that we are all floating in a giant cosmic river of chance and coincidence. William Shakespeare, through his character Macbeth, declared that human history is nothing more than "a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing." But God has declared that human life is not insignificant, that it does move toward a divine end and that is the bringing together of all things in and for the exaltation and glory of the Lord Jesus Christ. From this same Greek verb the noun kephale or "head" comes and that is how Paul describes Christ Himself today over His body, the Church (Ephesians 1:22). Thus, this "summing up" of all things in Christ is further to bring all things together under Him, that is, under His direct and eternal authority:
"Therefore also God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those who are in heaven, and on earth, and under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father" (Philippians 2:9-11).
Don't allow, then, the "diversity" of this life, the many "hats" you may have to wear, beloved, to cause you to lose sight of the one divine purpose toward which your life is moving. Indeed, the day will come when "every knee shall bow" and when "every tongue shall confess" that Jesus Christ is who He has always claimed to be, King of Kings and Lord of Lords. And when God says "every tongue," He means quite literally every tongue! Every God-forsaking, Christ-rejecting, Christian-persecuting tongue of man shall have to acknowledge that Jesus Christ is the real deal and that He rules forever over the affairs of mankind. Hallelujah!
Now go put your hat on and get busy with kingdom work, beloved! You're an essential part of the plan of the eternal God and the end is in sight!
Ron
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