The book of Ephesians is a “circular” letter, meaning it
wasn’t directed to one particular church but was passed
from one congregation to another. In chapters 1–3, the writer
deals with some great truths of the Christian faith, and in
chapter 4 the author explores how we can live out those
truths. Ephesians 4:25-32 (The Message) says this :
• No more lies.
• Be angry—but don’t use your anger as fuel for revenge.
• Watch the way you talk.
• Don’t break God’s heart.
• Forgive one another.
These rules make sense on one level, but we still have
trouble living by them. Too often we distrust those who disagree
with us and choose to believe that we alone have the
answers. We fear those who are different. We care for ourselves
and our passions first. And yet, . . . listen:
Watch what God does, and then you do it. . . . Mostly
what God does is love you. Keep company with
[God] 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.
Our call is to live an extravagant life of love that exceeds
the rational limits of our society, our culture, and our world.
A love so simple, yet so profound. A love so extravagant that
we willingly give ourselves away for the sake of God, for
the sake of Christ, and for the sake of the world.
By Deborah L. Kiesey from The Upper Room: 60 Days of Prayer for General Conference 2016