I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.
Have you ever felt a sense of exasperation because someone was getting under your feet? Perhaps you were in preparing food and no matter where you went in the kitchen, the person was there, in the way. Or perhaps, you were trying to get some work done, but the other person kept trying to engage you in conversation, holding you back or distracting you from the job in hand. Or perhaps you simply were in need of time and space to yourself, but someone wasn't getting the hint.
In Acts 1, we read of Jesus being taken up before the disciples' eyes. They are standing there, staring up intently into the sky, looking to where they had seen the bottoms of his feet, when two angels break the moment. It is part of the Christian story that we can find difficult to get our heads around. What was going on and what does Jesus' ascension really mean for us?
In his letter to the Ephesians, Paul writes about God putting everything under the feet of Jesus, with echoes of Psalm 8. It is language that speaks of authority and rule. It speaks of dominion and power. It speaks of victory and the fulfilment of God's plan. Everything, all things, come under Jesus' lordship, as he takes his place on the throne, seated at the right hand of God the Father.
There is no principality or power in this world which escapes coming under the feet of Jesus. No matter how powerful or persistent or brutal in its makeup. Kingdoms of the earth come and go, governments come and go, politicians come and go, but the One who reigns over everything is not going anywhere. In a world full of uncertainty and especially when our political systems are creaking, I find the constancy of Jesus' lordship comforting.
And Paul writes that God the Father makes Jesus head of the Church. We are under his authority. It is his kingdom which is being built - not ours.
As our denomination meets in Edinburgh this weekend for General Assembly, we will wrestle with reports and try to discern our way forward in the current season, with all its challenges. We will listen and learn from one another. We will disagree and we will find common ground. We will pack a lot in. But, as one of the reports points out, we need to trust Jesus in all of it. Acknowledging him in what we are doing. Asking for his understanding, his wisdom, his love, his compassion, his grace. Giving him his rightful place, the place to which he ascended. We can simply pay lip service to who he is in relation to us. Jesus is not a figurehead. And we are in sore need of his fullness in our lives and in us as his body.
My prayer is that over the days of the GA, we would be listening out for his voice, comforting, challenging, assuring, directing. Allowing him, the Good Shepherd, to guide us, his sheep. Rather than us trying to find our own way, or simply focus on getting our own voices heard.
If you are a Commissioner, whether online or onsite, I hope that the GA is an enriching experience for you. And if you are not, why not make some time over the four days to tune in to the debates or catch up on the Church of Scotland website. No doubt there will be much to share when it is over.
Rev Stella