Lenten Devotional, Week 3

Called – Into Wisdom
Ephesians 3
Lent, Week 3

Read Ephesians, Chapter Three.

Listen especially to the following words:

“Although I am the very least of all the saints, this grace was given to me to bring to the Gentiles the news of the boundless riches of Christ.” (vs. 8)

Jason McElwain was a 17-year-old senior at Greece Athena High School in Greece, N.Y. He had been the faithful manager and constant motivator of his basketball team throughout high school. He was also autistic. Before his team’s final home game the coach told Jason to suit up, and with four minutes to go, the coach put Jason in. It was his first and only chance to play for the team he loved.

In those final few minutes, the crowd, the team, and the coach watched in amazement as the 5-foot-6-inch manager sunk six three-point shots and a two-pointer before being carried off the court on the shoulders of his thrilled teammates. There wasn’t a dry eye in the arena. And as this young man gained national attention for his amazing feat, his excitement was not just for himself, but for his team. “I just want to win as a team, not individually,” he said.

“Although I am the very least of all the saints…”

In this third chapter of Ephesians, the writer reminds us that God’s grace is given to everyone and that each of us has an important part in God’s plan for Creation. It is through this "rich variety" (vs. 10) that God’s wisdom is made known.

We then move into what is called “Paul’s Prayer.”

And what does Paul pray for?
1. Strength – not the physical kind of strength we associate with that word, but an inner strength grounded in the love of Christ; and
2. Wisdom – to understand the breadth, length, height and depth of that love.

These are words we all need to hear, for each of us feels “the very least” in this large, complicated and sometimes overwhelming world. We can always find those who are more gifted, more educated, more insightful, more knowledgeable than we are. And yet … God doesn’t see us as "least" or "best" or "greatest." But God sees each of us as beloved children – grace-filled and chosen.

Why is it so hard for us to do the same?

With that as our perspective, we must view all people in a new light – honoring the grace of God within them and allowing their gifts to strengthen the Body of Christ as a whole.

For God can take our meager gifts, our insufficient wisdom and our very human lives and can accomplish far more than we could ever imagine.

“For to him, who by the power at work within us is able to accomplish abundantly far more than all we can ask or imagine, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.” (vs. 20-21)

May it be so, dear Lord. May it be so.

Questions to ponder:
1. Do you ever feel as though you are the “very least?” What brings those feelings about? Why does envy and rivalry find such an easy place in our lives, along with feelings of inadequacy and lack of self-worth?

2. What does it say about your relationship with God to know that God doesn’t see us as least or best or greatest?

3. Who seems to be “least” in your life right now that you could bring the Good news of God’s love to?