Read: Ephesians 3:1-13
Reflect: The doctor’s office had told me to immediately go to the ER and get a CT scan STAT. The Britannica Dictionary definition of “STAT” is “without delay; immediately.” As we waited hour upon hour in the ER, we witnessed and heard a sea of human misery. I was freezing cold and frightened at the prospect of clots. However, God clearly told me in the midst of this, “You have a choice. Either decide to bless someone else by being kind and merciful during this time or else choose self-pity.” I’m sure that according to this passage in Ephesians, there were many unseen forces waiting to see how I would react.
BOTH HOLY AND UNHOLY ANGELS WERE WATCHING
Imagine stadium seating surrounding planet earth. Filling the bleachers are “all the unseen rulers and authorities in the heavenly places.” Who are these forces? They are the invisible spiritual beings who intently look upon us. They are both the holy and unholy angels who were watching me in the ER that night.
GOD’S PURPOSE FOR THE CHURCH
We can’t hear the evil angels cheering whenever believers fall. We also can’t see their rage when God’s grace and power step in. The angels on both sides have difficulty understanding God’s love for the human race. They probably wonder, “And just WHY did He save them?” I am amazed. Why did God save me? Ephesians 3: 10 gives the answer: “God’s purpose in all this was to use the church to display his wisdom in its rich variety.” The universal church, composed of believers, was created to display God’s power, holiness, mercy and grace.
GOD’S ADVERTISING
God’s advertising is quite different than what you see in the business world. God’s cards say, “I specialize in saving stupid sheep” (Luke 15:3-7). Some might say, “All heaven rejoices when the total wreck finally comes home” (Luke 15:11-24). Maybe God has an ad with a man praying, “Lord, thank You that I know I am just as bad as the worst of the worst” (Luke 18:13-14). God’s wisdom and grace are unfathomable.
THEY WATCH US WITH WONDER AND AWE
What do all these unseen forces observe from the story of Jesus and His salvation of us? They have to learn something which makes them watch us with wonder and with awe. They see in us indeed all our weakness, and all our sin. But they see a nature which, wrecked by itself, was yet made in the image of their God and ours. And they see this God at work upon that wreck to produce results not only wonderful in themselves but doubly wonderful because of the conditions (Written by commentator Handley Moule).
That totally blows me away. When the angels saw how I responded in the ER that night, they may have been amazed by the mighty power of Jesus Christ living in me. This same power is available to all believers. What are the angels in the bleachers observing as you make choices in your own life?