That in the dispensation of the fullness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him.
Ephesians 1:10
There is an appointed time when all things will be gathered together… The things of yesterday will join the things of today and all in the household of faith we will be united… As Christians, we find strength through this passage taken from the letter to the church of Ephesus… We know that despite all the suffering, ridicule, and scorn which we presently deal with, there is a sturdy foundation we can stand upon which simply declares that in the dispensation of the fullness of times… As we go through, the hour continues to draw near to when all the suffering will end, sin will be no more, and everlasting life will become reality… Those who have fought the good fight before us will be reunited with us when the return of the bridegroom takes place… You can endure the struggles of life and overcome the deepest valleys by reminding yourself of this fact… Your time to be exalted has not come yet, and your time to ascend has not arrived yet; this isn’t to say that it will not happen but that it just has not happened yet… As a child, I was able to go outside and wash my father's cab because of the payment I was guaranteed to receive; standing in the sun was tedious; however, knowing what was to come made it bearable… The same principle applied today in our focus verse can be applied to our lives as well; your reward for all your labor is guaranteed, and the things you endure today are bearable because you know what is coming tomorrow… In the dispensation of the fullness of times he might gather together in one all things Christ…
The work which God has started will be completed, Paul just reminds us today that it may not happen when we want it to… There are so many things that we desire on this earth and this is why Paul again reminds us that it is in the timing and design of God that we must trust and have our being… Life doesn’t always make sense; there are times that have come and will come when we will not understand our current situation or what it is that God has in store for us… Paul reminds us today that in these times we are not to become discouraged, we are not to become dismayed, but that we are to remember that God indeed does have a plan… Paul unfolds the desire and plan of God as it deals with His disciples and creation… In his letter to the Church of Ephesus, Paul is writing to the body of Christ as well as those who have begun the transformation into Christianity… There were many souls that were being turned over to Christ; however, there were also many that were skeptical of Christ and susceptible to prosecution by other religions and people… The truth of the matter is that when we turn our lives over to the Lord, we are going through a transformation. There will be many that will be skeptical, many that will criticize, and many that will persecute… Because of these known hardships, many people are left asking the questions (why should I believe in God) or (why would God allow this)…? Both of these questions are answered in the study verse for today’s reading… Again, Paul says “that in the dispensation of the fullness of times, he might gather together in one all things in Christ…” There is a period of time that will elapse, a period of time that we will endure hardship, a period of time that we will be ridiculed, and a period of time that we will feel all alone… This period must be fulfilled, just like Christ had to suffer a period of time where He was separated from His father. God has a plan that is at work right now in our lives, God has ordained the steps that are being taken within His will, and although we may not understand nor recognize it at the present moment, we can take solace in knowing that His plan is on schedule.
ALL FOR HIS GLORY!
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