More than ...

As we push or rush or meander or skulk through our urban landscape, many of us long for something more than the measures of existence which form the life we see.

What makes that “more-than” quality of what some would call spiritual life?

The writer already gives us hints in the formal greeting part of our letter.  Part of this special quality of life comes from the recognition of something outside of myself, greater than I am.  The writer characterises both himself and his readers as people in touch with this “other”. 

He is a spiritual guide, not because of who he is, but because of the one he serves.  He calls himself a messenger, a person sent for a purpose.  He talks about his readers as people who are different; they are in the city of Ephesus, but they are not primarily citizens of Ephesus.  Rather they are fundamentally people connected to this something greater; they can be distinguished as people faithful to this “other”.

Our writer states clearly that this “something” is actually someone, a person.  Not a human, but nonetheless personal, relational.  We’ll find out more as we read further, but for now we are left with two words:

Grace.  Peace.

These constitute the blessing we are given by the One our guide serves.