Thoughts for the Day

Paul Speaks to the Ephesian Elders

From Miletus he sent a message to Ephesus, asking the elders of the church to meet him. When they came to him, he said to them:

‘You yourselves know how I lived among you the entire time from the first day that I set foot in Asia, serving the Lord with all humility and with tears, enduring the trials that came to me through the plots of the Jews. I did not shrink from doing anything helpful, proclaiming the message to you and teaching you publicly and from house to house, as I testified to both Jews and Greeks about repentance towards God and faith towards our Lord Jesus. And now, as a captive to the Spirit, I am on my way to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there, except that the Holy Spirit testifies to me in every city that imprisonment and persecutions are waiting for me. But I do not count my life of any value to myself, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the good news of God’s grace.........

And now I commend you to God and to the message of his grace, a message that is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all who are sanctified. I coveted no one’s silver or gold or clothing. You know for yourselves that I worked with my own hands to support myself and my companions. In all this I have given you an example that by such work we must support the weak, remembering the words of the Lord Jesus, for he himself said, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.”’

When he had finished speaking, he knelt down with them all and prayed. There was much weeping among them all; they embraced Paul and kissed him, grieving especially because of what he had said, that they would not see him again. Then they brought him to the ship.

(Lectionary, New Revised Standard Version)

Thoughts

In his farewell speech to the elders of the Church at Ephesus before he leaves them to travel to Jerusalem Paul gives them the shocking news that the Holy Spirit has indicated to him that "imprisonment and persecution" await him in the future. His only hope, he says is that he "may finish... the ministry" that he "received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the good news of God’s grace." He then commends the group to God, before reminding them to "support the weak, remembering the words of the Lord Jesus, for he himself said, “It is more blessed to give than to receive". With that he leaves Ephesus.

September brings a swatch of birthdays in my family, and I had a significant one recently, so giving and receiving are much on my mind at present. Let's look at what giving and receiving might mean today:

• Giving: A smile, or a kind word of encouragement can be as good as a present; an unexpected tailor-made card will bring a warm feeling; remembering likes and dislikes makes little presents seem larger.
• Receiving: Returning the smile encourages the giver; thanking the right person for the right present will be appreciated; Remembering to thank God for the giver will also be good.

Ultimately the biggest gift came from Jesus who cleared the debt we had with God because of our sin, through his death, leaving us to offer our love to our Heavenly Father and to give to others all that we can.

Lord Jesus Christ,
when we were estranged from our Heavenly Father
because of our sin
You paid the price for our disobedience.
Forgive us when we fail to love others
as You would have us love them,
instead preferring to go our way,
expecting the world to give to us as a right.
Help us to remember it is more blessed to give
than to receive.
Amen.