Lectio divina (daily lectio instructions): Entirely out of place is obscene, silly, and vulgar talk; but instead, let there be thanksgiving. Ephesians 5:4
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Prayer: Our heavenly Father, I pray for the grace to think, speak, and write only the words that affirm, encourage, and build; the words that glorify you and give grace to me and those who hear or read them.
Thoughts: (Reminder: I am studying and meditating on Ephesians, using John Stott with Phyllis J. Le Peau, Ephesians: Building Community In Christ, Downers Grove, Illinois, InterVarsity Press, 1998 (the link is to the book in Amazon). In keeping with Ignatian Spirituality, I don’t rush my reading of the Scripture for the day but sometimes take several days/weeks over one. Today, I am completing lesson #8, Ephesians 4: 17-5: 4 titled Purity.)
It is Christmas Eve and I’ve been busy all day around the house baking, cooking, cleaning and getting last minute things done. My passionate waiting is almost over. My heart is overflowing with gratitude and I am overwhelmed with joy. Tonight we will celebrate, yet again, the birth of our Savior Jesus Christ, Emmanuel, God with us. Thank you for all the wonderful gifts you’ve given me.
Ephesians 4: 17 – 5: 4 is a “stirring call to unity and purity in the church.” In responding to God’s call for personal and corporate holiness, I must integrate my thoughts, words and deeds in Christ. Obscene and vulgar talk are clearly identifiable, but I find talk that is silly to be less so (whether this includes humor merits a separate post). Sincere thanksgiving, however, is one way to combat a descent into silliness.
Video: This is the short trailer of Cameron’s Avatar (2009) from youtube/Avatar movie website. Our family decided to do Christmas presents very differently this year. We decided to give each other the gift of ourselves, i.e. we would spend time with one another doing something the other person liked. Thus, I saw the movie Avatar, which I had not really wanted to see! I liked the movie despite the violent combat scenes and the moving but haphazard social commentary. Cameron’s Pandora is a beautiful and visually stunning world; every 3-d scene of that world that titillated my senses also triggered memories of similar but much more awesome images from Planet Earth. They reminded me of what a flawlessly perfect and integrated creation our world and mankind would have been when first created by God and before the fall. In Christ I am a glorious new creation who tries to live a holy life, integrated in purity and unity with his church, here and now, and with the help of the Holy Spirit.
