Monday, September 24, 2012

Weekly Meditation - Trinity 16

(I am going to start posting here my weekly meditation e-mail that I send out on Monday mornings)

Greetings in the Name of Christ Jesus our Lord!

The Epistle reading for yesterday was the close of Ephesians 3 (13-21), and in particular, let's look at the end, which reads, "Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever.  Amen."

For us fallen human beings, being in control is a terrible burden.  Oh, we tend to like - in fact, some of us may very well be "control freaks" - but being in control is a burden, a responsibility.  It's a heavy, wearying thing.  There are burdens, there are responsibilities, there is the need to plan, there is the need to see that things are just right.  We have choices laid before us, decisions to make, and we can worry and fret and fear -- "What if I make the wrong decision?"  Lots of burden.

Yet Paul cuts across that with these verses.  Did you note how He describes God?  God is the One who gives us far more abundance than... than we ask or think.

Consider this - the blessings you receive from God - they aren't about you, they aren't about your planning, your wisdom, your wits, the fact that you made the "right" decision, the fact that you thought things over or asked the right way.  No - as we learn in the Catechism, God gives us blessings simply out of His Divine Fatherly goodness and mercy without any merit or worthiness in us.

Because in reality -- it's not about you being in control - God is in control for you, for your benefit.  And this is a comforting thing.

There are times when I see people going through making a decision, when I see people confronted with a choice, and they will say, "Oh, I just don't know what God's Will is for me, what God wants me to do," and my heart breaks.  Do we really think God is petty -- do we really think our life is nothing but God running the old game show "Let's Make a Deal" - that God is going to say, "Ooops, you picked the box, you get nothing from Me."

No, He does far more abundantly than we think or ask - He blesses even beyond the plans, the choices we come across in life.  Indeed, as Paul points out He is the power at work in us -- and is He going to abandon you because... you took the job in Stillwater and not the one is Ponca City?  You went to OU instead of OSU?  You chose Bass Hospital instead of St. Mary's?

No - God is God and He loves you.  He has purchased and redeemed you with the blood of Christ Jesus, His only Son.  He has given you His Holy Spirit to give you faith and to enliven you.  He has prepared a place for you in the world to come -- as St. Paul says elsewhere neither heights nor depths or width nor... nor that whole list of stuff... will be able to separate you from the love of God which is yours in Christ Jesus.

No, God is in charge, and He has given you the gift of freedom.  There will be options, choices in your life.  Make them - but make them with boldness, knowing that God loves you and will sustain you all the days of your life here, even unto the life of the world to come.  Even if they are serious choices -- whether we live or die, we live or die to the Lord, and thus it is all good.

Have a good day!

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