Praise the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavens. For He chose us in Him, before the foundation of the world, to be holy and blameless in His sight. In love He predestined us to be adopted through Jesus Christ for Himself, according to His favor and will, to the praise of His glorious grace that He favored us with in the Beloved. We have redemption in Him through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace that He lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding. (Ephesians 1:3-8 — Holman Christian Standard)
This passage reads like a song of thanksgiving for all that God has done for us. In Jesus Christ we have every spiritual blessing in the heavens — of all the spiritual blessings that exist, we do not lack one. We are holy and blameless in God’s eyes, and have been adopted into His family — God's plan all along. He has not reluctantly adopted us out of pity — He has joyfully and eagerly adopted us out of love, and because He sees potential in us. We have been rescued from the power of darkness, forgiven of all our sins, and lavished with His favor and kindness.
You may be thinking, “My experience of God hasn’t been that rich and rewarding.” But please understand, what God wants for you is rich and incredible — and is available for virtually anyone who makes the effort. But God requires that we act on our faith and grab a hold of what He’s set aside for us. When we put Him first, before everything and everyone else, and place our very best on His altar, God’s power and blessings will be ours.
If your experience of God has not been that great, ask yourself how much you’ve placed on the altar (life, offerings, tithes, habits, character, past, family, trust, etc.). Sadly, most Christians live far beneath their rights and privileges, only because they give Him so little.
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