Ephesians 2:6 “God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus.”
An old widower lived alone in New Jersey. He wanted to plant his annual tomato garden on his allotment, but it was very difficult work for him in his decrepit state because of the hard ground. His only son, Vincent, used to help him but was now incarcerated in New Jersey State Prison in Trenton, NJ. The old man wrote a letter to his son and described his predicament: “Dear Vincent, I’m feeling pretty sad because it looks like I won’t be able to plant my tomato garden this year. I’m just getting too old to be digging up a garden plot. I know if you were here my troubles would be over. I know you would be happy to dig the plot for me, like in the old days. Love, Papa”. A few days later he received the following note from his son: “Dear Papa, don’t dig up that garden! That’s where the bodies are buried. Love, Vinnie” At 4.30 a.m. the next day, FBI agents and local police arrived and dug up the entire area without finding any bodies. They apologized to the old man and left. That same day the old man received another note from his son: “Dear Papa, go ahead and plant the tomatoes now. That’s the best I could do under the circumstances. Love you, Vinnie”.
Vinnie was indeed ‘under the circumstances’! But it’s a false phrase for followers of Christ because he is over all circumstances, and as our verse above states clearly, we have also been ‘raised up with Christ’ and ‘seated with him in the heavenly realms’. We may on occasion seem as helpless as that old widower, but our cries for help are heard loud and clear – not by a disempowered prisoner – but by the risen Christ who is over all circumstances and eager to intervene and assist us in our crises. Call out to him in confidence today.
Lord, thank you that I’m never ‘under the circumstances’. Help me today with… Amen!
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