Yesterday I read Ephesians 1: 3-14 and I have been dwelling on these verses.
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, 4 even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love 5 he predestined us[b] for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, 6 to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved. 7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, 8 which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight 9 making known[c] to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ 10 as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.
11 In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will, 12 so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory. 13 In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, 14 who is the guarantee[d] of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it,[e] to the praise of his glory.
How many times do we get caught up in the daily grind of life and forget that God has blessed us with every spiritual blessing (vs 3). God chose us BEFORE He created the world (vs 4) so that we could be holy and blameless before Him. He chose us, through Jesus Christ (who died on the cross for our sins and rose again the 3rd day), so that we could become His children….. GOD CHOSE US – even while we were still sinners – that is amazing! (vs 5ff). Later in this passage, we see that we “might be to the praise of HIS glory” – we were created and chosen for a special purpose to praise and glorify God. But we are sealed with the promise of the Holy Spirit. We learn elsewhere in the Bible, “I can do ALL things, through Christ who gives us strength!” As we reflect on our life, let us remember WHOSE we are! The GOD who CREATED the whole universe – He LOVED us so much that HE sent HIS Son Jesus, to die in the cross for our sins – HE took OUR punishment – so that we could live forever with GOD! What a marvelous life we have, to worship such a GREAT God and to further HIS kingdom!!!
Are you spreading the good news of salvation???
