This week the Ponderings come via Mrs Jesus Follower:
The View
“But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. 6 And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus” (Ephesians 2:4-6)
There is so much more in this passage but it’s these verses and this truth that I’ve been thinking about lately.
When things go wrong, prayers aren’t answered, and life is feeling heavy, I know I’ve wandered from my rightful spot; I’ve drifted back into the ‘me bubble’ of this world, where I see everything from my perspective.
As a believer, we’ve become alive in a spiritual way and it’s only as we really ‘get this’ that we can see things from the spiritual position God has placed us in and therefore, by faith, live as God intended us to, in that place of peace and victory. Yes, even in defeat we can know victory, provided we have the right view! Wasn’t Jesus’ death his most powerful moment?
Nor does this mean that I’m hidden in Christ in some happy bubble? No way. God says, this is nothing you have earned it’s nothing to do with you that you’re here, in this place of privilege. No, it’s only by my grace that you’re here and, for my purpose and glory… as Paul reminds us later in the passage.
It was that afternoon, while walking and praying for my family and loved ones, that I remembered what I’d been thinking about earlier. I wanted to begin to pray by focusing on God, so I stopped and thought about the position I’m in as one of God’s children, ‘seated at the right hand of God’, hidden ‘with Christ in God’, seated in Christ ‘in the heavenly realm’.
Quite suddenly I saw it; a tiny glimpse of God’s perspective. My little world forgotten, I saw his world; his creation, teeming with people who’ve never heard of, or have rejected, their Creator God. But there were also the millions around the world who are his; who are singing praises to the only true God; who are reaching out to those who don’t know our God and I became lost in amongst them all.
I felt totally humbled by this and I realised anew that our Sovereign God has all this, all things, under him and in his hands. What an indescribable God we have!
I began to pray again but even my prayer had changed, and I found myself praying around the globe, thanking God for my fellow Christians in different countries, praying for those who don’t know God, those who are slaves to a godless world and can see no way out. I prayed for those I live by and come across in my daily routine.
I’m not sure I should try and put this into words. Our God is Holy and truly indescribable. No wonder words fail me!
Oh, and what about my prayers as I’d begun my walk? Well, they were forgotten, but only by me, because our Lord Jesus was already bringing those prayers before God’s throne along with the prayers of the throng that stood with me, worshipping this God!