Day 3- "That"

Day 3- "That"
Yeah, that's exactly what I thought when I realized what the next word in the sentence was. How in the world are you supposed to write about a word like that, "That?" Wow, umm...hmm? I guess the thing that comes to my mind is that when I write I use the word "that" a lot. Already I've used that word 6 times, that's a lot for three sentences. This could get confusing as well, since I'll be using "that" as part of my sentences as well as the subject. I'll put it in "" when I use it as a subject! OK, we use "that" a lot. We use it mostly to generalize what we are talking about. Instead of saying, "See the little speck of bright pink plastic on the blue table," we simplify by pointing and saying "That." Can you see Paul now, pointing and saying "that?" He's pulling in the Ephesians attention directing, pointing preparing for what "that" is. "That out of His glorious riches..." Make sense? The Greek word for "that" is elaborated on by Strongs this way, "in order that (denoting the purpose or the result): KJV - albeit, because, to the intent (that), lest, so as, (so) that, (for) to. Do you see it? I think my favorite one is "to the intent." Slip that in there to replace "that." Paul bowed his knees with the intent. OH, so Paul had a purpose for praying. He wasn't idly petitioning God with Aunt Millie's broken finger nail. Or that the church budget would work out, or that his wife would show up soon, or many of those things we "pray" about that really we have no intent for praying them. Think of how many prayers we pray without intent. They usually go something like this, "Dear Jesus, thanks for this day. Thanks for the food. Thanks for the pretty flowers. Let us do your will. In Jesus name we pray, Amen." Without intent. May we never be accused of praying without intent. "That" is a little more special than you thought huh? I pray with intent! Let THAT be the way, the denoting, the course of your prayers. OK, that is all I can think of for today!

Day 2- Pray

This word doesn't seem very promising because we use it so often and it has become all too familiar to us. Anytime we regard a word as familiar we are in a dangerous place. My sister, Jaclyn, often quotes Michael Bauman with a very insightful phrase, "When words lose their meaning people lose their lives." Thus, the word pray seems to be, in the 21st century church, becoming too familiar and it is rapidly losing its meaning. "I'll pray for you," "Our prayers are with so and so," "Our prayers go out..." Phrases like this have denigrated the awesomely powerful word, "PRAY." When we say, "I'll pray for you," really means "I feel really sorry for what has happened to you and by saying I'll pray makes me look spiritual and caring." Rather than truly meaning we'll pray for the person's needs we are really just saying we empathize with them. How lame a use for a commanding and all consuming word! In verse 14 we see the phrase (in KJV) "bow my (Paul; see above) knees." It then goes on to say why he bows his knees in the verse we are examining. Rather than use the word pray the KJV uses the phrase "Bow the knees." When I cross-referenced this phrase I found several interesting verses that used the same phrase. Solomon bowed his knees at the dedication of the temple. Obviously during such an amazing event Solomon was so reverent and venerating that he recognized his need (not a desire or feel good idea, but a necessity) to get low in the presence of God's "big-ness." Another verse was when God told Elijah that He (God) had "reserve[d] seven thousand in Israel-all WHOSE KNEES HAVE NOT BOWED DOWN to Baal and all whose mouths have not kissed him 1 Kings 19:18." WOW! Remember how despicable the acts and devotion of the Israelites was. They were devoted to sexual and perverted images and idols and were committing lewd and disgusting sexual sins. These debauched Israelites had literally thrown themselves wholeheartedly into these disgusting, yet devoted, sin fests. They had bowed their knees to Baal by their unheeding devotion to this perversion. But I love how the phrase is used because it says God had reserved (chosen, set apart, redeemed, Predestined, etc.) 7,000 who hadn't thrown themselves blindly into the perversions and had bowed their knees only to the LORD Almighty.
Further, there are several references to this phrase in the Psalms, Isaiah, Ezra (when he confessed the Israelites sin of intermarriage with the Babylonians), Daniel, Luke, many times in acts and finally in the present verses. Every time, however, this verse shows up the people "bowing their knees," show whole-heartedness, whether confessing sin, praying for others, or even to false gods (via: Baal). All that to say, therefore, Paul was not just saying, "Oh, yeah, I'll pray for you guys." I love the Steven Curtis Chapman song that talks about praying for people right then and there rather than waiting, act like the next five minutes are my last five minutes. Paul is saying the same thing SCC did in his song, I'm praying right here and now, on my knees, crying out, heedless of my image, imploring God, asking God, literally begging God for...well I guess I'll leave that till next time. However, the important thing is to remember that this word "pray" is much more than how we see it as we blindly read through scriptures. This word "pray" is full-on, not half-hearted.

Day 1- "I"

Ephesians 3:16-17a "I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith." NIV

This I is Paul. He is saying "Me, not Peter, not John Doe, not the gas station attendant, Me, Paul. The guy who led you to Christ in the first place." He'll go on to say what the subject's, I, action is. But for now, although it is kind of a boring word I'll concentrate on "I" for a bit. I cannot imagine the relationship between the Ephesians Christians and Paul. He had led them to Christ, discipled some of them and baptized them. I remember the guy who baptised me, Pastor Glenn. I barely remember him but I have truly fond memories of him and greatly respect and admire him. I can't comprehend being told of the Messiah for the first time by someone and then having him disciple and train me in the "Messiah's Way." And then in this guy's busy schedule he takes time to write a very personal letter to me. I would be so honored if Pastor Glenn were to write me a letter after all these years, and if he were to encourage me by saying, "I, me, Pastor Glenn, not Peter, not John Doe, not the gas station attendant, BUT I, Pastor Glenn, am praying for you to have xyz character trait." What a wonderful word, I. It is so specific and I am excited to see the action of this subject "I." (P.S. As I was thinking further about this word I--which is Paul--I realized that throughout Paul's Letters he continually reminds his listeners of his credentials and trustworthiness. He is a well qualified person and what he goes on to say should be highly valued!).

OWBSM

OWBSM
The one-word-bible-study-method. I learned it from Louie Giglio. And slowly but surely I've been working on the scripture below as a sort of running commentary. What you do is study each word of God's Word. Because as Paul told Timothy, "All scripture is God-breathed." Therefore even words we may find insignificant are truly important and relevant to our Christian life. So I will break it up into days for You to meditate on and hopefully be ministered to by my humble searching and studying of God's perfect and pure word. As Proverbs 30:5a says "Every word of God is pure." So I pray that these words of mine based on singlewords from God will strengthen you with power!

Eph 3:16-17a
I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith.
NIV