Tuesday, January 7, 2025  

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Today's Scripture
Ephesians 1:3–14

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, just as he chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless before him in love. He destined us for adoption as his children through Jesus Christ, according to the good pleasure of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace that he freely bestowed on us in the Beloved. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and insight he has made known to us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure that he set forth in Christ, as a plan for the fullness of time, to gather up all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth. In Christ we have also obtained an inheritance, having been destined according to the purpose of him who accomplishes all things according to his counsel and will, so that we, who were the first to set our hope on Christ, might live for the praise of his glory. In him you also, when you had heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and had believed in him, were marked with the seal of the promised Holy Spirit; this is the pledge of our inheritance toward redemption as God’s own people, to the praise of his glory. (NRSV)

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Reflection

The first time I ever did a high ropes course, I was terrified. I struggled to let go of the first tree, much less do any of the obstacles. The other participants encouraged me and showed me that it wasn’t that scary. But I was afraid of falling. The instructor showed me that even if I were to fall the safety cables would catch me.

I began to attempt the obstacles, but very slowly and carefully. Desperate not to fall. Then the worst happened: I fell. And just like the instructor showed me, the cables caught me, and unlike what I feared I was easily able to climb back onto the course. I suddenly felt freedom once I realized that I could try an obstacle, fall, and just get right back up.

Suddenly I was racing around the obstacle course. Trying and succeeding about as often as I ended up falling, but it was all OK.

Reading this passage, I think about the freedom and relief I felt after I finally fell on that obstacle course and the courage that gave me to try obstacles that I thought I was too small for or that were simply too difficult. Sometimes I was proven right, and other times I was proven wrong, but trusting in the grace of the safety cables, all things were worth trying.

That is the blessing of God’s grace. We don’t earn God’s grace through our works. Instead God’s grace should empower us to get out there and try our best to do God’s work. Sometimes we might get it wrong, but that is better than never getting off the starting platform.

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Prayer
Loving and merciful God, thank you for your unending grace. Help me to trust in your love, and let that embolden me to live my life in gratitude for that grace. Amen.

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Written by Katie Patterson, Manager for Worship and Youth Ministry

Reflection and Prayer © Fourth Presbyterian Church

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