To be honest with you, I chose to study Ephesians because it is short, I had already doodled half of it, and a sermon on Ephesians 1 intrigued me. I am embarrassed to tell you that I didn’t spend a long time in prayer about it. In spite of that, God is already using this study to impact my life and challenge me to surrender myself more fully to him. An example of God answering a prayer not formally uttered–thank you Holy Spirit for your translation to the throne.
| WHAT | WHY | HOW I LIVE |
|---|---|---|
| I am dead (1-3) | my disobedience & sins (1) | |
| like the rest of the world (2) | I obey the devil (2) | I have given the devil room in my heart (2) |
| I am subject to God’s anger & judgment (3) | I focus on passionate desires & inclinations of my sinful nature (3) | I live in a way to fulfill my own desires & passions (3) |
| I am alive (4-5) | because of God’s deep love & rich mercy (4) | I thank God for His mercy & love (4) |
| I was dead, but was brought back to life (5) | Christ paid for my sins & defeated death (5) | because of God’s grace, I can experience transformation (5) |
Did you try the movement exercise to be able to move into a quiet time with God? I am easily distracted, and my brain has so many rabbit trails to follow… I experienced a cool down time at the end of an exercise class that brought me to a place where I could “be still and listen to God.” I thought I’d share, because I can’t be the only one who needs to muzzle her brain’s to-do list and daydreaming.
This led to an additional challenge that will really bring God’s words into our every day life: an ACTIVATION CHALLENGE. Here’s what I chose: Leadership at our church asked us to all pray together during this season using a phone app: Lectio 365. It’s a 10-minute commitment morning and evening. I’ve been doing it for a week and a half. It’s a change for me to pray this way, listening and joining with many others praying the same prayers.
PRAY WITH ME. Thank you for loving me so much that you stepped down into humanhood, suffered, and died for my sins. Because of your deep love and grace, I am alive, and I can live with You in the center of my life. Help me to open my heart, mind, and soul to you, and live so that you light shines though me in all I say and do. In Your Son’s name I pray, Amen.
Kathleen S Evenhouse 