He made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ. . . .

— Ephesians 1:9

Have you ever tried tobogganing and been disappointed when it didn’t go smoothly? Maybe your sled didn’t go far or the hill wasn’t as steep as you thought it would be. Maybe you felt like giving up. But then maybe you got a new perspective and realized there might be other options. So you changed the sled, or lightened the load, or tried a different part of the hill. And soon you were gliding swiftly downhill with snow flying in your face. What fun!

Looking at our Scripture for today, we might think it sounds heavy and plodding, or complicated, or even all-too-familiar, and we might be tempted to give up on it. But what if we just need a new perspective and realize we should try it again? Jesus wants us to know how much he cares for us, and he wants to offer us something that is far more than we can imagine.

When we begin to understand how much he loves us and wants us in relationship with him, our perspective changes. We realize that life with him is not just a Sunday or church experience but an everyday adventure that takes us to new places in our faith. We begin to trust differently, to listen and discern differently, and ultimately to experience a new way to live each day. We begin to experience the fullness of God in our journey of faith.

Dear God, help us to change our perspective on how we view you, and help us to realize how much you love us. Fill us with your joy today, and may we be strengthened in how we live out our faith story. Amen.