Listen

God put everything under Christ’s feet and made him head of everything in the church, which is his body. His body, the church, is the fullness of Christ, who fills everything in every way.

Ephesians 1:22-23

Think

There are many struggles within the Christian faith, and you don’t have to be an outsider looking in to experience these struggles at any time. In particular, the fact that Christians choose to submit to the will of God is not only a stumbling block for some but a source of confusion, and even anger.

Such sacrifices as putting our own will aside for Christ do not go unrewarded. On the contrary, experiencing God’s order at work is reward enough. Have you ever experienced the beauty of such order? When Christ is, as St. Paul tells us, “head of everything in the church,” everything works in that perfect order (v. 22). The church is, after all, Christ’s body, so it makes sense that he would care for and nurture it.

So even if only two or three of us are gathered in Christ’s name, we can rest assured that Christ is with us (see Matthew 18:20). How beautiful it is to be loved by our risen Lord, whose love and mercy know no end!

Sarah Boatwright

Pray

Thank you, God, for free will.

Please help me to do your will today instead of my own.

Amen.

Go

I lift up my eyes to the hills—
from where will my help come?
My help comes from the Lord,
who made heaven and earth.

Psalm 121:1-2 (NRSV)