e-vo for week of September 19

Dearest e-votees-

This coming Friday (September 21) is the day set aside in the church year to commemorate St. Matthew—the gospel writer and disciple. For this week’s devotional moment we’ll lean on the epistle lesson assigned for this day of the church year.

Peace,
Karl

-------------------

4 But God, who is rich in mercy, out of the great love with which he loved us 5 even when we were dead through our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— 6 and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 so that in the ages to come he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God— 9 not the result of works, so that no one may boast. 10 For we are what he has made us, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand to be our way of life.

Ephesians 2:4-10, NRSV

“But God, who is rich in mercy, out of the great love with which he loved us.”

We have been saved. God loved us through death. God loved us even when we were dead. God loved us even though it brought about Jesus’ death. We have been saved. We have been saved by the abundance of God’s mercy. We have been saved by grace—pure gift from God. We can’t do anything to earn God’s love. We can’t do enough wrong to forever spurn God’s love. God loves us. In response, and only in response, can we live into the good works God has prepared for us.

The word for love is agape (uh-gah-pay). It is a love that reflects the qualities of the lover and not so much those of the beloved. God loves because it is in God’s nature to love. We are bestowed with an undeserved love—one which cannot be deterred. God loves us through death. Our mortal and terminal ways cannot kill God’s love. We have been saved. Done, finished, fait accompli—thanks be to God.

But God, who is rich in mercy, out of the great love with which God loves us…

We are loved. God loves us to life. Even though we were once dead, unclean, unsavory, etc., etc., God loves us. We are being loved into our salvations. We are growing daily into a fuller measure of experiencing God’s mercies. We are loved each and every day—pure gift from God. We can’t do anything with God’s persistent love except receive it—and share it. And that, God’s beloved, are the good works that God has prepared for us.


God, you love us through death. You love us to life. Help us love a world that needs a resurrection sort of love. Amen.