Ephesians:
Each morning I will share a few thoughts as I read a chapter. The verses that stand out to me might be very different than what stands out to you. Feel free to comment on what I wrote but also write about what God is revealing to you. Don’t forget to comment on one another’s thoughts. I would simply request to keep everything encouraging. Have a great day and may each of us grow our roots deep into the soil of God’s marvelous love.
Ephesians One:
Isn’t our God good, great and Amazing!
In verses 3-5, we’re told that because of God’s love for us He adopted us as his children. It says that He adopted us. That means He’s not stuck with us, we’re not some accidental mess that a gracious God reluctantly let’s tag along. We are a chosen people brought into His family and called sons and daughters of the most high. It then says that this adoption was according to His pleasure and will. It is God’s pleasure to have me as His son. As if that wasn’t big enough, it says I was adopted to be found holy and blameless in His sight. As our God sits on the judgment seat, he sees us through Christ as holy and blameless. If that is how I am seen then I want to live that way. If I am loved as much as Paul is telling me then I want to please my Heavenly Father. I want to actually live a Holy and blameless life. I so often live up or down to people’s expectations or worse my own. If the God of the universe sees me as Holy and Blameless then I want to live an all out assault towards sin in my life. I want holiness, righteousness, goodness and love to be my new foundation because God sees me that way. How about you?
In case we get discouraged in this pursuit verses 18-20 remind us that we are sealed with the Holy Spirit as a deposit on our royal inheritance. It says with that deposit comes the power to live Holy and Blameless lives. How strong is this power? Well, it’s the same power that raised Christ from the dead. That means we don’t have to live in the emptiness and destruction of old lives that lead to death. We have the power to live new lives as His children and as holy and blameless royalty. Have a blast as His power and grace are sufficient for the journey.
Tim
1 comments:
Tim, I love what you said about being "adopted" by God...we are his sons and daughters!!
What a rich chapter, so full of God’s grace to us and the joy that we have through him. I couldn’t help but get excited reading this chapter! Right away, we find that we are looked upon as Children of God. (v.5) We’re not just saved, no, we are God’s actual sons and daughters. I just think how much I love my own children, my own flesh and blood, and everything that goes along with that…the sacrifice, my protective nature, etc…. That love that I have doesn’t even compare to the love that God has for His children…His love is far greater, it is perfect! We also see how this is all possible: GRACE. It is no right of ours, it’s not deserved. No, God’s grace came at a great cost, “through his (Christ’s) blood.” (v.7) When I think about that cost it is so humbling yet at the same time it brings such joy. There is no greater love than to lay one’s life down for another (see John 15:13)! Not only have we be saved through Grace, not only are we sons and daughters of God now, not only are we so incredibly loved…we can also be confident that God is greater than anything that we could fathom, that we are protected, that his strength knows no limits, that while the storms of life rock us, though they beat against us, God is greater and can and will ALWAYS be. Look at the verses 19-23. “His incomparably great power…His mighty strength…far above all rule…authority…power…dominion…every title that can be given…him who fills everything in every way.” WOW! What an awesome DAD! “To the Praise of His glory.” (v.14)
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