Wednesday Lent 3

Wake up from your sleep, Climb out of your coffins; Christ will show you the light!

Ephesians 5:11-16 MSG

In waking up, we may see a glimmer of light that compells us forward. We don’t realize we are asleep. We certainly don’t feel like we are in coffins, but it’s true. At least metaphorically, the image of a coffin fits the reality.

We are born into this world. We are born into a certain family and possibly a certain religious order. I feel bold enough to say we are born into a coffin (or box). Some of these boxes are cozy, comfy, and inviting.  Other boxes are filled with abuse, control, and manipulation. Still, other boxes are filled with a mixture of both. 

Many of us stay asleep in our coffin following the traditions of our family.  Others wake up long enough to move into another coffin and then fall asleep again. This happens often.

The question I have is how do we see the box we were born in for what it is, a starting point? No one gets to choose their starting point, but we do get to choose to wake up and climb out of our coffins.

Religion is not meant to be a place to fall asleep.  It is a faith to be practiced. Regardless of what religion you practice, it is meant to point you to the good news that there is a better way. The way of love! Jesus is the one who shows me this way.

‭‭Watch what God does, and then you do it, like children who learn proper behavior from their parents. Mostly, what God does is love you. Keep company with him and learn a life of love. Observe how Christ loved us. His love was not cautious but extravagant. He didn’t love in order to get something from us but to give everything of himself to us. Love like that.

Ephesians 5:1-2 MSG