Monday March 24, 2014

Today’s text

Ephesians 1:3-6

Blessed be God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with all the spiritual blessings of heaven in Christ. Thus he chose us in Christ before the world was made to be holy and faultless before him in love, marking us out for himself beforehand, to be adopted sons, through Jesus Christ. Such was his purpose and good pleasure, to the praise of the glory of his grace, his free gift to us in the Beloved.

 Reflection

Open hands. I stand at the table with hands open above gifts of bread and wine, open to welcome the congregation, open in blessing, … open to you, Holy One.

But are these hands really mine? Are they not your hands open to welcome and bless we who are empty and in need the fullness of a love to that heals every doubt, fear and wound of our hearts?

Your hands are always open to give us with everything that is in you,--everything, all the blessings of heaven that we might know the love you are and know ourselves as your beloved.

Your hands say it all: I am wanted, chosen, forgiven, known and treasured since before the dawn of time. And you fill me with the joy of knowing this with all my heart because it brings you pleasure. Could it be that I am your delight?

You tell me it is so. Little wonder sometimes I wake in the middle of the night when sleep flees and repeat your name over and over.

“Blessed,” I name you. “Blessed are you, for you are the love that fills my heart with the blessings of eternity. You stir my mid-night prayer that I might know your open hands and praise the glory of your grace.”

Pr. David L. Miller