Ephesians 1:3-7 "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: (4) According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: (5) Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, (6) To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved. (7) In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;"
I pray that as we look at these verses, we can find the peace and assurance
that the Apostle Paul felt as he wrote these words. My thoughts concerning them
will be brief, but I pray it will take each of us into a deeper appreciation of
the work of our precious Lord in redeeming us "through His blood."
Paul lists some of the spiritual blessings that each of us have received from
our Heavenly Father by the work of Jesus Christ.
I will list them again and then try to show a practical application. He chose
to love you. He predestined you; that is, He has a place prepared for you. He
accepted you in, and because of, the work of Christ Jesus. He redeemed you
through the blood of Jesus. He forgave your sins by His wonderful grace. In
Luke 15:1-7, we find Jesus teaching a parable concerning the lost sheep. It
seems like a very nice parable and we might tend to skip over it and go right
on to the parable of the Prodigal son UNTIL we realize, "I am that lost
sheep." I am the one Jesus left heaven's glory to come find me.
(Understand He always knew where I was.) I am that one that was out in the
briars and brambles of the world. I am the one Jesus chose to restore. I am the
one who He brought back and has that place of safety prepared for me. I am the
one He accepted and endured such a contradiction of sinners against Himself. I
am the one that He picked up and carried on His shoulders. I am the one who has
experienced the forgiveness of my sins through sweet fellowship with Jesus.
He didn't have to do it. I added nothing to Him, but He brought everything to
me. For me, I found peace and comfort and blessed assurance when I could place
myself in those verses in Ephesians chapter one. "Blessed be the God
and Father of (my) Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed (me) with all spiritual
blessings in heavenly places in Christ."
I know I used this hymn yesterday, but I feel the blessedness of these words
again this morning:
I hear the Savior say
"Thy strength indeed is small
Child of weakness, watch and pray
Find in Me thine all in all"
Jesus paid it all
All to Him I owe
Sin had left a crimson stain
He washed it white as snow
Lord, now indeed I find
Thy power and Thine alone
Can change the leper's spots
And melt the heart of stone