Thursday, May 17, 2012
Ascension Day
Ephesians 1:10 That in the dispensation of the fullness of the times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth -- in Him.
GOD DISPENSES HIS GRACE AT THE PROPER TIMES
"Dispensation" is a challenging term to understand that almost seems too heavy for a short devotion. However, it becomes easier depending on where you are when you hear this term, since it can mean several different things. If you are in a hospital or medical field, dispensation can simply mean a distribution of medicines or other items needed to be given out to patients. If you are in a management position, the dispensation or "managing" of the employees is the system used to keep good order of the workers and the work. If you are in a religious conversation or study, then dispensation is best understood as God's divine order or the appointment, arrangement, or favor of all things.
What is Paul's point? A few verses before, Paul encouraged the Christians in Ephesus to remember their redemption in Christ and their eternal inheritance that was freely dispensed to all through His blood payment on the cross. Galatians 4:4 says, "But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son ... to redeem."
Today is Ascension Day, where Christ visibly removed Himself from our sight, but invisibly remains with us. Many Christians wait for the "dispensation," as they like to call it, where it is believed that Christ will visibly return to this earth to dispense His ruling to believers until the final Judgment Day. The first disciples often thought too that Christ's kingdom was of this world. What we can see Paul was really saying here is that we currently are living in the dispensation age where Christ is "administering" His grace through His Gospel and Sacraments throughout the world!
Our risen and ascended Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, sits at God's right hand of power "gathering together" His disciples through His Word. He reigns as King in the hearts of His followers until the last Time is fulfilled when He returns to take us to our heavenly home forever! Until that Day, we look gratefully to Jesus to continue to dispense His mercy on us!
