Just Because it's Friday: King James 400th Anniversary Quote From Paul's Letter To The Ephesians

It's been an ugly week out there, sort of typically ugly, but ugly nonetheless. OS is not eager to see pics of Bin Laden's carcass, and is also uncurious about things like UBL's porn collection and TV viewing habits. It's enough to know he's been referred to a Higher Court for final adjudication.

So, as an antidote to that hopeless ugliness, OS offers you these words of the Apostle Paul, who wrote these glowing words in a pagan world ruled by the Assads and Gadhafis of the day. Paul stood almost alone, insisting that he had seen the risen Christ, and that love trumps all. Good words for our day, OS thinks.

For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, that he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man;

That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; and to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.

Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.

And, as a musical offering to pair with these tidings of comfort and joy, Handel's 'O Be Joyful'.



Have a great weekend.

Happy Easter: O Death, Where Is Thy Sting?

Before driving off to church, a thought or two:

That Nazarene rabbi, so shamefully murdered on Friday by the PowersThatBe of his day, walked out of the tomb on Sunday morning, alive.

That changed, and changes everything.

If we can remember that one fact as we face each day, the world looks different, and our place in it takes on a cheerful significance. Anything is possible, and evil cannot overcome love. Love has already won. We need not fear, even though we do.

Paul embraced this idea, never backed down, even in the face of Nero and his crew:

Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?....Therefore, be ye steadfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord; forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.

Happy Easter.