A Surprise Move

I am reminded today about a fictional story I read about a man who was a master chess player who had a wife he loved very much.  In the story, the Russian mob got to him and threatened his wife's life if he didn't throw the next big match to the Russian player by making a specific move that would create a situation where he could not win.  They demonstrated the seriousness of their intent with a variety of ploys to show that they could get to his wife whenever they wanted to - regardless of the security he employed.

This man spent days, weeks, months, working out scenarios in his head until he finally came up with a way to win the supposedly unwinable game.  He would make the move he'd been told to make, but would STILL win!

This is something like what today's reading in Ephesians sounds like. Paul is talking about how the "Gentiles are now to be heirs with the Jews, members of the same body and joint partakers sharing in the same divine promise in Christ through their acceptance of the glad tidings" (verse 6).  He speaks of it as "the mystery kept hidden through the ages and concealed until now in the mind of God Who created all things by Christ Jesus" (verse 9). He goes on to explain its purpose: "that through the church the complicated, many-sided wisdom of God in all its infinite variety and innumerable aspects might now be made known to the angelic rulers and authorities in the heavenly sphere" (verse 10). 

This sounds like the same kind of end run described in the fictional account of the chess player that I mentioned earlier.  God's seeming focus on only the Israelites (one with several notable exceptions), apparently caught even those in the heavenly realm by surprise as he unfolded this amazing plan to save ALL who would accept the "glad tidings" - not just the Jews.  What an amazing and wonderful thing!

This once again reminds me to trust God in my life in ALL things.  No matter how convoluted the path on which I am led, or how many times I fall from it, He has a plan!  It is amazing and beautiful and its purpose goes far beyond anything I can imagine.

Verse 20 expands on this as Paul says, "Now to Him Who, by the action of His power that is at work within us, us able to carry out His purpose and do superabundantly, far over and above all that we dare ask or think [infinitely beyond our highest prayers, desires, thoughts, hopes, or dreams] - to Him be glory . . ."

Father, you are so amazing!  You are so powerful and able and your plans are so perfect!  Thank you for working your plans in my life!  It is clear that any requests I may have are already known to you and your plan is FAR better than I could possibly dream up.  So Father, I once again simply ask that your will be done in my life - that you continue the work you have begun in me (Phil 1:6) and continue to work in me both to will and to do your good pleasure (Phil 2:13).  Thank you so much for your plan as demonstrated and executed by Jesus!  Thank you for not being willing to leave us to die in our sins, but instead planning this amazing way of escape!