Wednesday's Word...The Measurable Life...2/13/13

The Measurable Life.

Ephesians 3

Do you find yourself living a measurable life. Living according to things that you can see, touch, and smell. We have a difficult time placing our trust in things unseen. It's our human nature, I suppose.

For centuries, everyone thought the world was flat. But there was more out there. Eventually someone stepped out in faith, risking their reputation, to present an off-the-wall idea that the world might, in fact, be round. Looking back we laugh that people ever thought the world was flat.

For centuries people believed that the earth was the center of the universe. They were living a measurable life. They determined, based on their surroundings, they had to be the center of everything (that's a whole different devotion!). Yet years later we discover that we are not the center of our universe, we're not even in the only universe. We are on a tiny speck floating among other specks that is just one of billions of clusters of specks in the cosmos. It's disturbing for me to think about how small we are and how delicately we are hanging here in the middle of the middle of something that I cannot even begin to understand. It is an instant reminder of how infinitely small I am and how infinitely magnificent my God is.

When we live a measurable life, we miss out on the bigger picture that our Creator has in store for us. When we only see our current situations, frustrations, and struggles we often miss what God is doing in the process. See, that's really the point. We are in the process of being shaped by our Creator until we completely reflect His glory in Heaven.

Paul, in his letter to the Ephesians, writes his prayer for the church:

"For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen." (Ephesians 3:14-21)

When we live a measurable life we miss out on the "immeasurably more" that God has in store for us. If you're in the middle of a struggle, remember the process and lean into the God of immeasurably more and be shaped by Him. If you're on the mountain top and all is well, lean hard into the God of immeasurably more and be shaped by Him because there will be valley's ahead. If you're just in a state of confusion about what to do, what is happening in your life, lean into the God of immeasurably more and trust that He has you in the palm of His hand.

May we grasp how wide and long and deep His love for us. May we live in the measurable yet not miss immeasurable He has in store. May we reflect His glory in our time here.

Becoming rooted,
Rodney