Ephesians 6:10–13

Ephesians 6:10-13 

English Standard Version 

  There are many things I cannot do.  I'm simply not strong enough.  Sometimes, I try and do them on my own anyway, and life reminds me that I am not strong enough.  I am stubborn.

  Often in this life, I try and be strong in myself.  Sometimes it works.  Sometimes I make it halfway.  

  Paul tells us to be strong in the Lord.  When we trust in God's strength, we have more strength than we can imagine.  We are not sufficient in ourselves, but in Christ... then we have real strength, and that strength has shown that it can defeat the biggest things in life that threaten us.  Rules, authorities, cosmic powers -- these are things that my strength cannot approach, but in Christ, clothed in the whole armor of God, we have the ability to withstand evil.

  So pray for God's strength, and do not rely upon your own.  Then, and only then, can you stand firm.

Ephesians 6:5–9

Ephesians 6:5-9 

English Standard Version 

  Paul certainly doesn't need me to defend him, and far wiser minds have delved into this passage to provide an understanding of what Paul is writing about.  

  I once listened to a sermon that pointed out that Paul is actually creating demands on a master that make slavery impossible -- by imploring masters to treat bondservants in the same way, Paul creates a situation of equality in which one individual owning another is impossible.  If masters are expected to treat bondservants in the same way, then how could one claim to own another?  If there is no partiality, and each individual has the same Master in heaven, then they stand on the same footing, and none can claim superiority.  That approach encourages us to look with dignity and equality on all people, treating each as a precious child of God, loving and serving the way God loves and serves us.

Ephesians 6:1–4

Ephesians 6:1-4 

English Standard Version 

  Paul is working his way through family dynamics here, but not just for the sake of compliance or obedience -- it's because he believes that every relationship is an opportunity to glorify God.  Here, Paul is saying that parents ought to think about how God relates to us, and we ought to relate to our children in the same way.  When you think about patience and guidance, it should be viewed with a sense of responsibility, with the goal and hope that our children might thrive.  We can see that God cares deeply how we treat our children, and it should never be taken lightly.  All of it is a responsibility, and all should be undertaken so that each child of God is treated like a person made in the image of God.

Ephesians 5:29–33

Ephesians 5:29-33 

English Standard Version 

  I saw a headline the other day that alluded to the idea that we have our ideas all wrong on the shape of the universe.  I didn't read the article, because I already know that I'm not smart enough to understand it, given that I don't have a current understanding of what the shape of the universe is, but it's a powerful reminder to me that there is much that I do not and cannot know.  So much is beyond our grasp -- we can make mathematical models about the universe, but it's beyond true knowing, as we're inside of it and cannot view it from the outside.

  Such is our relationship with God.  God has revealed a lot to us, but part of it will remain a divine mystery, this side of heaven.  Paul is trying to help us grasp pieces of it, and he tells us that a faithful marriage can help us better understand God's love, but we'll never know the true scope of it.  It's about devotion, and duty, and respect, and love -- each partner in a marriage reflects God's love to the extent that show that to their partner.  We can be a window to God's love for one another.