Ephesians 1:3-14 (NRSV)
Read Ephesians 1:3-14 on biblegateway.com
Verse 3Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, Verse 4just as he chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless before him in love. Verse 5He destined us for adoption as his children through Jesus Christ, according to the good pleasure of his will, Verse 6to the praise of his glorious grace that he freely bestowed on us in the Beloved. Verse 7In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace Verse 8that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and insight Verse 9he has made known to us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure that he set forth in Christ, Verse 10as a plan for the fullness of time, to gather up all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth. Verse 11In Christ we have also obtained an inheritance, having been destined according to the purpose of him who accomplishes all things according to his counsel and will, Verse 12so that we, who were the first to set our hope on Christ, might live for the praise of his glory. Verse 13In him you also, when you had heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and had believed in him, were marked with the seal of the promised Holy Spirit; Verse 14this is the pledge of our inheritance toward redemption as God's own people, to the praise of his glory.
Devotion
I have practiced law now for over 30 years and I’ve written many wills and trusts for clients of all types and ages. The main point of the exercise is to bestow an inheritance, and the bequests I helped draft were often generous, sometimes miserly, occasionally mysterious, usually ordinary, and, rarely, even holy. But not once did any will or trust that I drew up grant a bequest comparable to what Paul describes here: the richness of the grace of God lavished on us through Christ. We have all been mysteriously included in the most holy bequest, adopted as children and made heirs, God’s very own. Such is the wisdom and insight of God, to give freely so that all things may be gathered into him, and so that we may bequeath that same grace to those we are called to serve.
Prayer
Holy God, thank you for making us your children and heirs of your glorious grace. Help us to bequeath our shares in the way that Jesus teaches, so that praise and blessing may grow from your great gifts. Amen.
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