Ephesians 3:14-21
Many of us just go along taking life and the world we live in just for granted. We move through the days of our lives not seeing God’s Spirit pour out His blessings on us. Why? Because we believe this is our world and we never look at God and say ‘Thanks” for the world you made for me to live in. Do you ever stop and think about that some day we all will reach the finish line of life? Many of us will say at the finish line, “Where did life go? What happened to it?” Do you ever ask yourself what will God say to you about the life he gave you? It may be like someone said that God will say to our generation, “Actually, you had a pretty great life, but you were looking down at your phone and you missed it.”
By always looking down at your phone you miss seeing people. You miss telling your family how much you love them and glad that they are a part of your journey in this life. You miss seeing the smile on a child’s face when they know that you heard what they said to you. By looking down we miss seeing the need of an older person that needs help and support. By looking down we miss saying a kind word to people that are leading a troubled life. By looking down we miss the beauty of the summer twilight. By looking down we miss seeing a beautiful sunset with those last rays of day. We do not see the beautiful colors of the clouds in the beautiful sky. By looking down you miss seeing a rising moon on an autumn night. By looking down you do not see or hear the birds that come to your feeders each day. By looking down you miss the star spangled sky on a spring night. By looking down you miss the opportunity to see, meet and make new friends. By looking down you miss seeing snowflakes falling out of the winter sky. By looking down you never see or hear the sound of wild geese heading to the river or pond on a summer night. By looking down you never hear the whip-poor-will calling to its mate on a summer evening. By looking down you miss hearing the sound of the night critters on a summer night. By looking down you miss the beautiful rainbow in the sky.
By looking down you miss God that loves you and me enough to die on the cross for our sin. By looking down you missed the forgiveness and grace that Jesus offered you from the cross. By looking down you miss the joy of hope and fellowship God’s church offers.
Pablo Picasso said, “Only put off until tomorrow what you are willing to die having left undone.” By looking down we miss so much and we leave so much undone at the finish line of life. By looking down we miss the way to life that will bring us into the joy of God’s heaven.
Paul wrote the way we can look up and see all God’s doing in His world for this is His world. “When I think of all this, I fall to my knees and pray to the Father, the Creator of everything in heaven and on earth. I pray that from his glorious unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through His spirit. Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust him your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. And may you have the power to understand as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. May you experience the love of Christ though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.
Now all glory to God, who is able through his mighty power at work within us to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. Glory to him in the church and in Christ Jesus through all generation forever and ever! Amen”