Bible Reading: Ephesians 1:1-6
Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, To God's holy people in Ephesus, the faithful in Christ Jesus: Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 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. For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will, to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves.
A Reflection
We were taught how to write letters at school. If you are writing to a known person you write ‘Dear’, add their name, and then your message, and conclude, ‘Yours sincerely’ or maybe ‘From’ or ‘With love from’, depending on your relationship. If you don’t know the person you write ‘Dear Sir or Madam’ and end ‘Yours faithfully’. Simple.
But what about texts? Or worse still, emails?
I love the way St Paul starts his letters. In his day you started with the ‘From’ and moved to the ‘To’, including an indication of position or role, hence ‘Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, To God's holy people in Ephesus, the faithful in Christ Jesus.’ And then he moves on to words of blessing, ‘Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.’
GRACE: God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense
Read again these verses of introduction to Paul’s letter to the Church in Ephesus and imagine that Paul is writing to you.
Grace and peace to me from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
He has blessed me in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ.
He chose me in Christ before the creation of the world.
I am adopted by God into the position of sonship through Jesus Christ.
Praise indeed to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ!
Is this not motivation to live a life that is holy and blameless in his sight?
A Prayer
Thank you God that when I deserved nothing, you freely poured out your grace on me, that you chose me and adopted me as your own.
Help me to grasp the enormity of these truths more each day.
Amen
Father God, I wonder