My phone rang this morning and woke me up. I'm not a fan of the phone waking me up, so my attitude was suspect when I answered the call. What did I hear the voice on the other end of the line say?
"Guess what I learned this morning when reading in my Bible? God chose me! He knew what He was getting Himself into with me, and He still chose me! Isn't that cool?"
That's the point where I started to smile (and my attitude was checked). I remember the day that clicked in my brain--the day I realized God knew exactly who it was He was dealing with and He still decided to choose me. It is such a profound and glorious truth we all too often forget, though!
Her childlike faith and delight in learning this truth was contagious this morning. I hung up the phone and found myself asking myself that question once again--do I really understand what that means, that God has chosen ME? That He loves me, and delights in me as His child? Is this more than semantics to my heart? Do I truly BELIEVE this is true of me, in my heart, in my life, right now?
I reread this passage from Ephesians this morning. It was quite the encouragement to my heart. I'm looking forward to sitting down with my friend and showing her a few more precious truths from this passage for her to be excited over as she starts to realize her true standing before the Father as His child. Why don't you reread this passage this morning, too, and be encouraged by what He has done, what He is doing, and what He thinks of you? If you really want this to hit home--replace every pronoun (you, us, yours) with your name. It's so true!
[Ephesians 1:3-14 ESV] 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, even as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before Him. In love He predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of His will, to the praise of His glorious grace, with which He has blessed us in the Beloved. In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace, which He lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight making known to us the mystery of His will, according to His purpose, which He set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in Him, things in heaven and things on earth. 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, so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of His glory. 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, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of His glory.
"Guess what I learned this morning when reading in my Bible? God chose me! He knew what He was getting Himself into with me, and He still chose me! Isn't that cool?"
That's the point where I started to smile (and my attitude was checked). I remember the day that clicked in my brain--the day I realized God knew exactly who it was He was dealing with and He still decided to choose me. It is such a profound and glorious truth we all too often forget, though!
Her childlike faith and delight in learning this truth was contagious this morning. I hung up the phone and found myself asking myself that question once again--do I really understand what that means, that God has chosen ME? That He loves me, and delights in me as His child? Is this more than semantics to my heart? Do I truly BELIEVE this is true of me, in my heart, in my life, right now?
I reread this passage from Ephesians this morning. It was quite the encouragement to my heart. I'm looking forward to sitting down with my friend and showing her a few more precious truths from this passage for her to be excited over as she starts to realize her true standing before the Father as His child. Why don't you reread this passage this morning, too, and be encouraged by what He has done, what He is doing, and what He thinks of you? If you really want this to hit home--replace every pronoun (you, us, yours) with your name. It's so true!
[Ephesians 1:3-14 ESV] 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, even as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before Him. In love He predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of His will, to the praise of His glorious grace, with which He has blessed us in the Beloved. In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace, which He lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight making known to us the mystery of His will, according to His purpose, which He set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in Him, things in heaven and things on earth. 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, so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of His glory. 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, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of His glory.