Tuesday, April 8, 2025
God, who is rich in mercy, out of the great love with which he loved us even when we were dead through our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ - by grace you have been saved— and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus. ~ Ephesians 2:4-6
Written by Ben McConaughy | Pinnacle Member
My family of origin was non-religious. We focused on worldly things, like education, pursuit of a career, and human relationships. God was not a part of my life. Indeed, I rejected the very notion of God. And life seemed great. I became a successful trial lawyer, married my sweetheart, Dawn, and we had two wonderful kids. I thought I was a good person: I strove for honesty in my dealings, and tried to be a good husband, father, and friend. This may not sound like a life that was “dead through trespasses and sins.” I wasn’t doing anything “wrong.” John Calvin describes “sin” as a turning away from God. It’s not just doing bad things, but a prioritizing of one’s own desires and will over God’s. And that was me. God , however, reached out to me with great mercy and love. My success at work came at the cost of working 60-hour weeks. Dawn stayed home with our two toddlers. One day, she hit the wall and announced that she needed a long weekend to herself. I cleared my calendar, and Dawn sort of danced out the door Friday morning. I had fun playing with the kids that day, until I lost patience with their squabbling and crying jags. By midday Saturday, I needed a break. None of our babysitters were available. Then I remembered a sandwich board sign outside a local church. Its words seemed heavenly: “free childcare during worship.” The next morning, I deposited the kids in the church’s childcare room. I felt guilty – I was essentially using the church for free childcare – but as I sat in that worship service, I felt a profound sense of peace. I felt community, and purpose, and a sense of something holy. It felt like “home.” That moment brought a profound shift in my life. Haltingly at first, I learned to open myself to a relationship with God. God raised me up and gave me new life. With a sandwich-board sign!
Question for reflection: Have you ever experienced a moment where God was granting you new life?
Prayer: God, use earthly means to open me up to the heavenly! Amen.