Undone…  That’s how I’ve been of late, friends.  The grace of God pours down over our souls and we’re filled with courage and hope to run this race of life with joy and courage and faith and love, but above all, we run this race looking to Jesus.

Check out EPHESIANS FOUR – PRESS HERE TO READ.

Specifically check out verses 11-16, 28, & 32.

“And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, ¹² to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, ¹³ until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, ¹⁴ so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. ¹⁵ Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, ¹⁶ from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.”

28 “Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need.”

32 “Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.”

Allow me to speak candidly about humanity and the redemption available to us as we sit at Jesus’ feet and listen and pray and change and serve.

Look at the few friends/family members who you would consider sold out for Jesus, as we call them fondly.  Look at how they’ve turned from thieves to laborers in Jesus’ vineyard!  Most testimonies of God’s grace at some point share about how we get changed when we submit our lives to Jesus, changed often to serve instead of take.

In my case, I’ve been broken day after day in my prayer life and candid conversations with my wife.  I’m learning what it looks like to abandon my comforts and serve, listen, pray, consider, and ultimately celebrate Christ.  My bride and I don’t have it figured out, but we’re learning from those around us and we’re seeking to be supple and mailable in the Savior’s hands through the ministry of God’s Word, His people, and His Spirit.

“Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him/her labor, doing honest work with his/her hands, so that he/she may have something to share with another in need…”  Oh friends, as we look at our resources emotionally and financially, let’s consider how we can pour out more often than acting in our thievery.  What would it look like if we truly poured out more often than took in and grabbed for our rights.  Our Savior draws our gaze to Heaven when He reminds us of His body hanging on the cross.  If we would be captivated by Jesus and all else pressed into the shadow of that cross, our LIVING SAVIOR’S FACE would be our most frequent consideration and longed-for sight.

My evening challenge to myself and to my bride and to my friends and family is simply this: Let’s truly sit and humbly listen to our Savior in His Word, in and in quiet prayer alone as well as in gentle and patient fellowship with other children of God.  Let’s sit alone at times as well as sit with our spiritual family members, and let us pray for our family, friends, and neighbors, that we would together be UNDONE by this wonderous Savior.

Sleep sweetly, friends, amazed by God’s favor on our lives, trusting Him to work this change in us as we bend in worship and prayer and stand to serve or LORD.

– Torrey