Category: Ephesians

Having heard, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance…(Ephesians 1:13-14).

I love that God understands us.

He knows that we get a little twitchy when we have to wait for more than about thirty seconds for anything. He knows, he understands, and so he gave us a deposit–just a little taste of our inheritance.

You know…the Holy Spirit.

He sent a part of himself to live in us, to serve as a reminder of the promise that one day, one unimaginably amazing day, we will be with him completely.

Take a moment today to get quiet and still and let the Holy Spirit remind you who you are…and whose.

Happy Wednesday, Beloved.

Having heard, you were marked in him with a seal… (Ephesians 1:13).

The Lord of Everything has claimed you as his own. He has marked you, making it clear to all the universe that you are his.

I gotta tell you, if we were talking about anyone else, we’d call that seriously creepy. I mean, if I told you that I tattooed my wife to show that she belonged to me, or had my kids branded…

But God is not like me.

Feel free to “Amen!” that.

God is not like man. He does not need to prove his power or establish his dominance. His seal protects us, it identifies us, it tells the darkness, “This one is mine. Hands off!” It’s like we’re wearing his ring, or his letterman jacket.

If you’ve had issues with people in your life who were possessive or dominating, then this analogy can make you understandably uncomfortable. But I remind you–God is not man, insecure and needy and prone to bullying in an effort to control. He is the Lord of the Universe.

He is also the Lord of Love.

And, yes, the Lord of You.

Rejoice that you are his, and he is yours, and that is good.

Happy Tuesday, Beloved.

And you were also included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. (Ephesians 1:13).

You belong.

You’re in the club.

You’re on the team.

You’re one of the cool kids.

Well, maybe we won’t go that far.

Beloved, if you have ever felt excluded, odd man out, on the outside looking in, left out, left over, or overlooked, know this:

You are part of the only truly important club in the history of the world. You’ll get a code name, a club jacket…the works.

So don’t ever worry about fitting in.

You already fit.

You’re already in.

Happy Monday, Beloved.

In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, in order that we, who were the first to hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory (Ephesians 1:12).

So which “we” is this “we”?

Who were “the first to hope in Christ”?

Well, that would be the Jews–or at least, some of them.

Jesus dealt mostly with the Jews. He spoke to Gentiles occasionally, but it was the exception. The People of the Law got the first opportunity to embrace the One who fulfilled the Law.

And some believed, to the praise of His glory.

Don’t worry, Beloved. Those of us who are not Israel by birth are Israel by rebirth. As Paul has and will explain, this was always the plan. The Gospel came first to the Jews, in fulfillment of his promise. But God’s love cannot be confined by genetics.  He will have mercy upon whom he chooses to have mercy.

And he chooses to have mercy on you.

Happy Friday, Beloved.

In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will…(Ephesians 1:11).

There’s that word again.

Chosen

OK, so there’s a theological debate out there. When Paul says “we,” is he talking about all believers, or just the Jews? And if there’s predestination, what about free will? The Bible’s pretty clear that we have to choose Christ, so…?

Beloved, I’m a big believer in keeping things simple. Paul addresses this letter to “The saints, the faithful in Christ Jesus.”

That sounds like all who believe, if you ask me.

Granted, nobody has asked me.

So, while I am always open to being schooled in theology, until someone convinces me otherwise I’m gonna stick with what the words say.

He chose you.

His plan–his perfect, unbeatable, fromthebeginningofalltime plan–includes you.

You–with all your bumps and barnacles–are part of God’s will.

So, take that into your day.

And your life

Happy Thursday, Beloved.

And he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, to be put into effect when the times will have reached their fulfillment–to bring all things in heaven and on earth under one head, even Christ… (Ephesians 1:10).

I love my Study Bible.

It has all kinds of useful stuff in it.

For example, it tells me that the word Paul used here that is translated head has multiple meanings. It can mean “authority,” which is how I’ve always read this verse. God’s plan is for every knee to bow and every tongue to confess Jesus as Lord. 

Amen to that!

The word can also refer to the sum of a column of figures, the reconciling of various numbers that may not seem to relate to one another.

So, Jesus makes a senseless world make sense. 

Feeling like life is a little too random, Beloved? Seems like the equation doesn’t balance?

Fear not; in the end, it all adds up

to Him.

Happy Wednesday, Beloved

And he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, to be put into effect when the times will have reached their fulfillment… (Ephesians 1:10).

God’s timing is not our timing.

How often have you heard that phrase, or something like it?

How often have you used it?

How frustrating has it been, every single time?

Look, I’m not saying that I know better than God, but if I could just get ten minutes alone with his calendar–

I’d probably ruin everything.

Beloved, we can trust God with the fate of all mankind.  His plan is perfect, his timing is precise, and his control is complete. And if we can trust God with the fate of all mankind, 

can we not trust him with Tuesday? 

Hmmm?

Happy Tuesday, Beloved.

And he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure… (Ephesians 1:9). 

How many times have you wondered, “God, why? What is your plan here?”

Me, too.

Frankly, everybody too.

And the thing is, he doesn’t have to explain anything to us. The Lord of Everything is not obligated to let us in on his plan.

But

He chose to.

When it came to the biggest of the Big Things, Almighty God chose to part the curtain and reveal the mystery.

And it’s awesome.

So maybe, just maybe, I can trust him with the stuff he isn’t explaining just yet.

Happy Monday, Beloved

In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding(Ephesians 1:8).

Wise enough to know that we broken ones couldn’t possibly ever even for the tiniest fraction of a moment be good enough

or even want to be

unless he made the first move

and the second

and probably the third

Understanding who we are

and who we could be

in him

with him

for him

through him

because of him

He knows, Beloved.

And he loves you.

Happy Friday

In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that he lavished on us…(Ephesians 1:8)

Lavish

To give freely, to bestow generously upon, to shower with

God has not been miserly with his grace, Beloved.

He has not been frugal.

He has lavished.

When the Lord of the Universe saw your sin, he didn’t hand you a spiritual wet wipe.

He bathed you.

Grace is, quite possibly, the most costly thing in all of creation, yet God showers us with it. He doesn’t measure it out and give us and give us a jarful, saying “Use it sparingly. Once it’s gone, it’s gone.”

He pours it over us in endless waves.

We determine the value of something by what someone is willing to pay to obtain it.

So, what is your value to God?

Exactly

Happy Thursday, Beloved.