Wednesday, March 22, 2017

The God Pause from The Luther Seminary in Saint Louis, Missouri, United States for Wednesday, 22 March 2017 with Scripture: Ephesians 5:8-14


The God Pause from The Luther Seminary in Saint Louis, Missouri, United States for Wednesday, 22 March 2017 with Scripture: Ephesians 5:8-14

Ephesians 5:8 For you used to be darkness; but now, united with the Lord, you are light. Live like children of light, 9 for the fruit of the light is in every kind of goodness, rightness and truth — 10 try to determine what will please the Lord. 11 Have nothing to do with the deeds produced by darkness, but instead expose them, 12 for it is shameful even to speak of the things these people do in secret. 13 But everything exposed to the light is revealed clearly for what it is, 14 since anything revealed is a light. This is why it says,
“Get up, sleeper! Arise from the dead,
and the Messiah will shine on you!”
[Complete Jewish Bible]
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Yesterday, guided by Psalm 23, I wrote of how even when we are lost in the darkest of valleys, God is with us. Today I'm drawn to speak of light--because God not only remains with us in darkness, but also brings us into light. Indeed, we are light and so we are called to live as such for the sake of others.
We know the reality of darkness, and the despair and destruction it inflicts. But in the Lord we also know the power of light, and the hope and healing it offers. So we are called not to live in fear, nor in the safety of comfort zones, nor in a state of false peace. As the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. proclaimed, "True peace is not merely the absence of tension: it is the presence of justice." Therefore, we work for God's justice--that which is good and right and true--by daring to wade into those dark places in the world and reflect God's light.
Lord of light, in a world full of darkness grant us courage to live as children of light so that we pursue your justice and share your peace with all. Amen.
Annie Langseth
M.Div. Student, Luther Seminary
Ephesians 5:8 For once you were darkness, but now in the Lord you are light. Live as children of light--
9 for the fruit of the light is found in all that is good and right and true.
10 Try to find out what is pleasing to the Lord.
11 Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them.
12 For it is shameful even to mention what such people do secretly;
13 but everything exposed by the light becomes visible,
14 for everything that becomes visible is light. Therefore it says, "Sleeper, awake! Rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you."
[New Revised Standard Version]
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