Dear Faith Family,
Tomorrow, you'll likely find yourself around a meal with friends, family, or both. Whether a meal labored over in traditional preparations or arriving via APP, whether as a part of a larger day of activities or not, there will be a moment tomorrow where you're encouraged to remember with gratitude the actions and relationships that brought about your living, here and now. And, in remembering with gratitude, feeling the charge to carry on similar actions and relationships for those who will dine together long after we are gone.
While tomorrow is the day of Thanksgiving, let's get the giving thanks started a few hours early!
Rather than giving you a bunch of commentary or guidelines, I just want to simply say that as you let Paul's words lead your heart to gratitude and as a charge for tomorrow, do so with our Orbiting Jesus Together conversations in mind.
Thinking of, and thankful for you today. Love you, faith family!
Rise to the heights! Live full lives,
full in the fullness of God.
God can do anything, you know—
far more than you could ever imagine
or guess
or request in your wildest dreams!
He does it not by pushing us around
but by working within us,
his Spirit deeply and gently within us.
Glory to God in the church!
Glory to God in the Messiah, in Jesus!
Glory down all the generations!
Glory through all millennia! Oh, yes!
In light of all this, here’s what I want you to do...
I want you to get out there and walk
—better yet, run!—
on the road God called you to travel.
I don’t want any of you sitting around on your hands.
I don’t want anyone strolling off,
down some path that goes nowhere.
And mark that you do this with humility and discipline
—not in fits and starts, but steadily,
pouring yourselves out for each other in acts of love,
alert at noticing differences and quick at mending fences.
You were all called to travel on the same road
and in the same direction,
so stay together,
both outwardly and inwardly.
You have one Master, one faith,
one baptism,
one God and Father of all,
who rules over all,
works through all,
and is present in all.
Everything you are and think and do
is permeated with Oneness.
But that doesn’t mean you should all look
and speak and act the same.
Out of the generosity of Christ,
each of us is given his own gift...
He handed out gifts above and below,
filled heaven with his gifts,
filled earth with his gifts.
He handed out gifts of apostle, prophet,
evangelist, and pastor-teacher
to train Christ’s followers in skilled servant work,
working within Christ’s body, the church,
until we’re all moving rhythmically and easily with each other,
efficient and graceful in response to God’s Son,
fully mature adults,
fully developed within and without,
fully alive like Christ.
No prolonged infancies among us, please.
We’ll not tolerate babes in the woods,
small children who are easy prey for predators.
God wants us to grow up,
to know the whole truth
and tell it in love—like Christ in everything.
We take our lead from Christ,
who is the source of everything we do.
He keeps us in step with each other.
His very breath and blood flow through us,
nourishing us so that we will grow up healthy in God,
robust in love.
(Ephesians 3:19-4:16)
