In the first reading of today’s liturgy, Ephesians 1: 1-10,
St. Paul reminds us that we are blessed-- "blessed in Christ with every spiritual
blessings in the heavens, as he chose us in him, before the foundation of the world,
to be holy and without blemish before him. In love he destined us for adoption to
himself through Jesus Christ, in accord with the favor of his will, for the
praise of the glory of his grace that he granted us in the beloved.”
“Every spiritual blessing!” Do I realize, I asked myself, what that truly means? Every blessing, not
just some, but all! Every blessing “in the heavens”, not “every blessing in or from
the earth,” though, of course, I receive those heavenly blessings here! Every blessing in the heavens—that means
union with the Lord God, God’s love, abundant love; reconciliation with the
Lord, the forgiveness of sin. In Psalm
103, the psalmist proclaims: “….he takes our sins farther away than the east is
from the west.”
Paul also reminds us about being adopted by God: “….[God]
destined us for adoption to himself through Jesus Christ.” Jesus is the one who removed the consequences
of our disobedience and restored us to right relationship with God the Father
as an adopted daughter, an adopted son of God.
How awesome! How deep the love of our God for each one of us “destined…for
adoption”!
And there is so much more in this reading. I encourage each
of you to open your Bibles to Ephesians 1: 1-10. You will be filled with grace
as you ponder this passage and make appropriate applications as given you by
the Spirit of God speaking within you.
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