Quest for Hope
Belonging to the Son 3-1-16
Ephesians 1:3-10
Yesterday, we explored the importance of placing our lives honestly before God; we can know the joy of forgiveness only when we are honest with Him. Today, we will press in to understand the spiritual blessings (our inheritance) when we belong to the Son. We must value these things that are passed down from heaven.
Ephesians 1:3-10
3 All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ.
4 Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes.
5 God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure. 6 So we praise God for the glorious grace he has poured out on us who belong to his dear Son.[a]
7 He is so rich in kindness and grace that he purchased our freedom with the blood of his Son and forgave our sins. 8 He has showered his kindness on us, along with all wisdom and understanding. 9 God has now revealed to us his mysterious plan regarding Christ, a plan to fulfill his own good pleasure. 10 And this is the plan: At the right time he will bring everything together under the authority of Christ—everything in heaven and on earth.
What do we value each day? Most of the time, our focus is on the busyness of earthly living; our priorities are based on the temporal things we value. Of course, we must be good stewards of everything that God has placed in our hands while we are on earth; but, in the midst of daily living, do we value every heavenly spiritual blessing that comes to the human heart when we belong to the Son? The Apostle Paul draws our attention to value these things in our connection to Christ: We are loved, chosen, faultless, made holy, free, and adopted into God’s family in Christ. Living as a loved, chosen, faultless, and free family who operates in holy wisdom, understanding, and kindness should be our goal every day. In a world that seems terrible upside down as far as heavenly priorities, I am so grateful that God promises to one day bring everything in heaven AND earth under the authority of God’s Son…the King of Heaven.
Prayer: Father, help me to stay focused today on the spiritual blessings that are mine because I belong to your Son. Draw my gaze upon those things that are eternal, so I may learn to truly value them. As I place a priority upon recognizing my spirituals blessings, Holy Spirit help me to apply them to my life, so I may taste a bit of heaven each day. In Jesus’ name. Amen.