Bring Unity to All Things

PRAYER PRACTICE

Breath Prayer – Take 2-3 minutes today to pray a simple breath prayer. Get somewhere quiet and relaxing. Breathe in deeply, and then breathe out fully. As you breathe in, ask God to fill you with His presence, grace, love, peace, etc. As you breathe out, offer to God the things you need Him to take from you – sin, doubt, shame, anxiety, fear, etc. Pray this way for just a few minutes, trusting God to work, and then begin reading today’s Scripture. 

DAILY READING

 Ephesians 1:7-10

DEVOTION / REFLECTION

Unity Make Perfect Sense

by Tom Richards

The theme associated with today’s reading is “Bring Unity to all Things.” That is a very appealing statement in a world that seems to be lacking in this area! The unity that many people long for will not come through politics, music, culture, or good intentions. We seem to have ample evidence that these things don’t accomplish that end.

Paul tells us in today’s reading what will bring unity. Beginning in verse 8 he says, “With all wisdom and understanding, 9 he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment—to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ.” My study bible stated the last part of verse ten a little differently: “to bring all things in heaven and on earth together under one head, even Christ.”

According to my study bible the last part of verse ten in the original language not only makes reference to leadership (Christ’s headship) but it also was often used to refer to adding a column of numbers. To quote my study bible, “A contemporary way of putting it (verse 10) might be to say that in a world of confusion, where things do not “add up” or makes sense, we look forward to the time when everything will brought into meaningful relationship under the headship of Christ.”

We don’t have to look very far to see many things that don’t “add up” in our world.  However, under Christ’s headship one day it will. That is our hope (and assurance) as his followers. It seems to me that as Jesus disciples we should exercise our citizenship in this world to strive for unity – the kind that God desires. But doing so should always be with the ultimate goal of seeing others come to know Christ. 

“ In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that he lavished on us.” Amen.