Lent
March 8, 2018
Scripture Reading: Ephesians 2:1-10
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
Ephesians 2:1-5
What is sin? A fault, an evil deed, missing the mark, and being estranged from God are some of the possible definitions. The scripture above seems to imply that sins separate us from living life fully and acceptable within the framework of God’s love. What holds us back from being ourselves?
We hear a lot about background checks these days. I had one when I worked at a church because it operated a child care facility and everyone who had even incidental contact with the children were checked for police records. Our national security requirements apparently require discloser of anything that might result in a person being blackmailed. Such safety precautions are necessary, and I support there use. They, however, serve as an example of our relationship with God. Christ came to free us from all that holds us back from living in the fullness of God’s love frees us as we live in and through Christ.
I have noted a trend in the USA, at least, that what we identify as “bad” sins are usually only done by others and often small populations that do not include the ones doing the identifying. Voices loudly condemn homosexuality, but we hold in esteem people who lust for power or are greedy. We want to emulate them. According to Gallup Polls about 3.8%* of the population identify as LGBT while in my experience we all suffer from a touch of greed. We identify scapegoats to justify our own estrangement from God. We seem to believe that if we can identify someone we deem to be worst than ourselves it somehow justifies our behaviors.
All people, all of God’s children are invited to be alive together in Christ. (Emphasis added). We are not called to examine each other regarding what is separating us from that reality. We are to examine ourselves and support one another in our journeys toward wholeness.
Prayer: Lord, help me first take the log out of my own eye so that l can see clearly to take the speck out of my neighbor’s eye when and if they need and want my help. ** Amen
*http://news.gallup.com/poll/183383/americans-greatly-overestimate-percent-gay-lesbian.aspx
**Derived from Matthew 7:5
All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights are reserved.