by Laura Springer, Th.M., Ph.D.
Key Passage: Ephesians 3:14-19
“…that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being…”
The world seems out of control. Wherever you fall on the spectrum of whatever issue, there are those whose beliefs and actions seem to mess everything up. It's hard to find stable ground. But all is not as it seems, for God is always in control: he is always right here with us, in us, and among us.
On-mission. Whatever is happening, the Spirit helps us remain steadfast and on-mission. As we rely on him, we can follow Jesus in the messiness of the dailies. As the Spirit strengthens us, we can carry out God's mission, for he gives our small actions influence and effectiveness beyond what we could ever imagine.
Shining goodness. The Spirit develops each believer's heart, helping each to live faithfully and well. As we trust him, he helps us to shine goodness amid the darkness. He strengthens us and helps us to live out our identity in Christ. Every faithful, Jesus glorifying action that we take or word that we say flows from our Spirit-indwelt hearts.
So, when everything seems out of control, the Spirit reminds us that God is always in control and that he always gives us the ability to trust and obey.
So, let us follow the Spirit as he works within our life together in Christ, helping us to embody Jesus in the context of our messy world. Let us follow him as he helps us to comprehend the immensity of Jesus' mission and the realities of our context. Let us follow him as he helps us to understand and feel God's love for us so we might, in turn, love others. Let us follow him as he makes it possible for us to joyfully obey the Father in all that we do and say.
The world may be out of control, but God is always in control, and we are always in him.
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