His Great Pleasure
But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession. 1 Peter 2:9 (NKJV)
This world is a lonely place for many of us. We long for companionship. We feel excluded because of a certain bias, which can be anything from skin colour, social status, level of education and even outward appearance. This leaves us physically and emotionally disconnected from society and sometimes from friends and family. It can leave us feeling like we don’t belong. It can leave us feeling unworthy and unwanted. Today, we will use Ephesians 1:3-6 to proclaim and pray into.
Ephesians 1:3-6 (NLT)
All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ. Ephesians 1:3
This letter to the Ephesians begins with praise and blessings to God, our Father, who indeed deserves all our praise. We praise Him because He has blessed us with every spiritual blessing. Not because of anything we have done, but because His great love has united us with Christ. We are united with Christ through His death on the cross. Our union with Christ guarantees the spiritual blessings of salvation, forgiveness and the rich inheritance we have in Him. These spiritual blessings originate in the heavenly realm where Christ is seated in authority.
Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes. Ephesians 1:4
Paul goes on to say that before the foundations of the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ. God had each of us in mind before we were formed in our mother’s womb. We mattered to Him, even then. So how much more do we matter to Him now? But He did not choose us to dwell on the earth and go our own way. No, He chose us to live our lives to please Him. Lives that will not be easily swayed by the things of this world
God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to Himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure. Ephesians 1:5
God not only chose us before the foundations of the world, but adopted us into His family. We belong to Him. This gives Him great pleasure. It gave our Heavenly Father great pleasure to lavish His love on us through Jesus Christ, to bless us with spiritual blessings, to bring us into His family and to give us eternal life.
Proclaim & Pray:
All praise to You, my God and Father of my Lord Jesus Christ. You have blessed me with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because I am united with Christ. Even before You made the world, You, God, loved me and chose me in Christ to be holy and without fault in Your eyes. Help me to live a life that pleases You. Thank You, God, for deciding in advance to adopt me into Your family by bringing me to Yourself through Jesus Christ. This is what You wanted to do, and it gave You great pleasure. I praise You, Heavenly Father, for the glorious grace You have poured out on me who belong to Your dear Son. In Jesus’ name, amen.
So we praise God for the glorious grace he has poured out on us who belong to his dear Son. Ephesians 1:6
