-Paul greets the Ephesian believers with wishes for both grace - God’s amazing undeserved favor apart from which nothing is possible - and peace, which would be the Jewish shalom, that all-encompassing experience of God’s goodness in one’s life, body and soul. And he rightly attributes both to both God the Father and to God the Son, Jesus Christ, Who he refers to as Lord, or Kyrios, one having power, might, ownership, control of people and things. See note on Phil 1.2 for thoughts on how we all desperately need grace and are caught up in a lifelong search for peace.
-Grace is in fact something that we all need to extend more both to others as well as to ourselves. We can be so demanding, so hard on ourselves and hard on others, on our kids, on our leaders, on those who mess up or who disappoint us or hurt us. We strain out specks and gnats, forgetting the log in our own eye and seeming to forget that most times folks who disappoint us are not doing it on purpose. They are not out to get us personally but rather they are simply fellow fallen pilgrims, trying to make their way and navigate the brokenness of life, struggling with their own limitations and failings. And even if and when they may be out to get us, we have a divine calling to extend them grace by forgiving them and giving them the other cheek. Yes even to that jerk of a driver who pulled out in front of me or rode up on my bumper. Furthermore we have some of those very same limitations and failings - which is why we also disappoint ourselves. But it is also why we need to live with ourselves and those around us with grace and understanding. We need to realize that nobody is perfect, that we all make mistakes. We all mess up. And that’s ok. We need to learn to tell ourselves and others that that’s ok. Which is grace in a nutshell. God as the fountainhead of all grace is the Ultimate Grace-dispenser. He has a limitless supply of ‘it’s-ok’. This is the fundamental message of the New Testament, that God does not give us what we deserve but rather shows us favor which we in no way deserve. And if we have indeed received of this amazing grace from the Lord, surely we can be conduits of that grace to those around us. Surely we can give others glimpses of God’s favor and unconditional love. If grace is God going way out of His way to do us a favor, then that is another way we can think of practically showing it to others - go out of your way to do someone a favor today. And they don’t owe you one in return. Grace to them, and grace to you today...
-Peace. Shalom. That sense of well-being, of wholeness. That place of rest, of resting from our work and struggle and pain, where we are basking in the breathtaking goodness of God, where it’s all good. We all want to be there. We all wish we could get there and just push the pause button. Peace to you...
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