“I’ve looked EVERYWHERE!!!”
Car keys. Glasses. Important papers. Whatever may be left of my mind. I lose things constantly, and after conducting what I think is a thorough search, I decide that whatever I am looking for has simply vanished from the face of the earth.
That is, until I just happen to glance at my desk one more time, and there it is, sticking out like a sore thumb, where it has been all along. A blind chimp could have found it.
To explore this, let’s go back to Ephesians chapter 1. We got past “grace and peace” last time and are moving through Paul’s opening remarks. (Eph. 1:3-14).
While it doesn’t appear this way in most translations, vv 3-14 are one long sentence in Greek. This is typical Paul. Whether he is writing or dictating his thoughts to an assistant, he is prone to getting carried away, especially when it comes to praising God for what He has accomplished in Christ. That’s what is happening here as Paul gets caught up and unleashes this verbal avalanche. He piles phrase upon phrase, one on top of another as one thought to leads him to the next while he blesses God for all He has given.
(Trivia: this is the second longest sentence in the NT at 202 words. The reigning champ is Col. 1:9-20, coming in at 218 words. Amaze your friends with this fun fact when the subject of exegesis comes up at the holiday cocktail party, as it always does.)
Some have pointed out that, to make it more readable, it can be broken down into 3 sections that each end in praise (vv. 6, 12, 14). And, that each section focuses on a member of the Trinity: Father (4-6) Son (7-12) and Spirit (13-14). Others argue against breaking it up, saying that the passage is liturgical, and that this would detract from its beauty and flow. But regardless, it is an amazing, inspiring outpouring of praise and thanksgiving to God that can’t help but lift your spirit.
In verse three, Paul begins by saying that God has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ. As you move throughout the passage, Paul identifies at least some of these: forgiveness, sonship, lavished grace, revealing the mystery of His will to us, bestowing an inheritance, etc. etc.
In all likelihood Paul is just scratching the surface of all that God has provided us with. But the point is, we have been given everything we need to live a life of faith that would please Him and to reach others, if we just have the eyes to see it. I lose sight of that at times, just as I do with the reading glasses that are sitting there in plain view.
I’m not much for popular self-help or positive-thinking books. I have read enough of them to know that they contain some general truths but are largely repackaged snake oil. Still, a concept you often find in books like these definitely applies here: living out of an “abundance mentality” as opposed to a “scarcity mentality”.
How different would our lives be if, rather than focusing on our failings, sins, or weaknesses, we focused instead on what God has provided to help us overcome them? Paul says here that we have everything we need. Certainly, people can have problems that are deep-seated, going back many years, or some that have their roots in physical causes. Counselors and medical professionals can help with those. But largely, what we need to make God happy and to be effective for Him is instantly available to us, right at hand. If we could stop dwelling on our own insufficiencies and focus on the sufficiency of Christ, we would see them, and we would come at these issues in a completely different way – a way that can help us to move ahead, and live the life God intended us to live before Him.
For sure, knowing our own inadequacies is a good thing. After all, we can’t deal with them by our own power. But to remain focused on them is to be stuck in the mud. If I really understand that God has provided me with everything I need, I will be focused on overcoming instead of failure.
There is no scarcity when it comes to God’s gifts – only amazing, profound abundance. I want that abundance mentality to become the way I look at life everyday.
Also, particularly at this time of year, and as we move into the joyfully expectant Advent season, I want to take the time to be grateful for all God has provided, be it tangible or intangible. And I want to learn better how to live out of that gratitude consistently..
Have a wonderful Thanksgiving and Advent season!
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