A year on after my last post, and the world looks very different now with the Covid-19 pot boiling over on the stovetop and different countries rushing around looking for bowls, plates, containers, anything to contain the hot overcooked mess that results from being unprepared for a world-class history-making event such as this.
A lot of the news on Facebook is all doom and gloom and in reading the passage above this morning, I am reminded of what we have in Christ, and how much we have to offer the world, down to our next-door neighbour in light of current events.
Essentially going through the passage above and highlighting each time Christ/God is mentioned.
“To all the saints in Ephesus, the faithful in Christ Jesus” v1
“Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ” v2
” Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ.” v3
“For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight.” v4
“In love he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will.” v5
“to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves.” v6
“In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace” v7
“that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding.” v8
“And he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ,” v9
“to be put into effect when the times will have reached their fulfilment – to bring all things in heaven and on earth together under one head, even Christ.” v10
“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,” v11
“in order that we, who were the first to hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory.” v12
” And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit,” v13
“who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession- to the praise of his glory.” v14
Each time we (his people) are mentioned in conjunction with him, we see the effect of His love and provision:
- we are named as saints (v1)
- we have every spiritual blessing (v3)
- we were predestined for eternity (v4)
- we were predestined for His family (v5)
- we share His grace (v6)
- we can be forgiven and redeemed (v7)
- this grace that redeems and forgiveness is not a general blanket of salvation but one that speaks to our individual circumstances, hurt and past regrets – because He is a wise and understanding God (v8)
- we can access His will (v9)
- we will be united in Him (v10)
- we are born with a purpose, and that purpose aligns with His will for the universe (v11)
- we can worship and others will be drawn to worship God through seeing us (v12)
- not only those of us currently in the faith, but those around us, new believers, unbelievers are all included in these promises when the Word is told to them and they believe (v13)
- though we may have next to nothing now, we have an inheritance in Him that will come to harvest when He comes again (v14)
Out With The Old 