Daily Devotional Thursday 3rd September 2020
by William MoodyEphesians 1:3–10
Spiritual Blessings in Christ
3 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, 4 even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love 5 he predestined us1 for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, 6 to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved. 7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, 8 which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight 9 making known2 to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ 10 as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.
Footnotes
[1] 1:5
Or before him in love, 5 having predestined us
[2] 1:9Or he lavished upon us in all wisdom and insight, making known . . . (ESV)
Due to sin the only way we can receive God’s blessing is through the redemptive work of Christ (v7). It is only through the shedding of Christ’s blood as a sacrifice for our sin that we can know forgiveness and our relationship with God restored.
The cross and the salvation that comes through it is all because of the riches of God’s grace. God in His love lavishes grace on His people (v8). There are no half measures in what God does. Paul is excited as he speaks of God’s grace, he is marvelling at the wonder of God’s love to the undeserving.
What Paul speaks about is a ‘mystery’ (v9), which means something that previously had been hidden but is now revealed. Paul is showing that God’s plan is not something small but something that will encompass the whole world of heaven and earth (v10). God’s desire is for everything to be in perfect harmony with Christ as everyone and everything submits to Christ’s rule. The challenge for you is are you in harmony with Christ, is every area of your life submitted to His rule?
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