Stand still – Know grace
How we praise God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every blessing in heaven because we belong to Christ. Ephesians 1:3 (TLB)
Are you someone who enjoys tackling projects on your own? You’re not alone, millions of us do. We paint, work with wood, and take on all kinds of projects.
But there’s one thing we could never accomplish through our own efforts because God has already completed all the work.
Long before we were born, before God formed the planets and stars, before he filled the world with colour, shape, seasons, and living creatures, he chose us to be his children. And he took every step needed to make our salvation possible.
We belong to him not because of anything we’ve done, but because of his choice.
The opening verses of Ephesians seem to overflow with excitement. It’s as if Paul has so many thoughts racing in his mind that he can hardly contain them. They spill out like a waterfall in full flow.
Just look at what’s written:
Each of us is personally known and lavished with God’s unconditional love.
We have been adopted by God, chosen in Christ, and set apart for a special purpose.
He designed us to be perfect, able to stand before him without shame.
Our sins are forgiven.
We have been given the gift of the Holy Spirit.
It’s breathtaking and it doesn’t stop there.
God has blessed us beyond anything we could imagine.
He pours out every spiritual blessing we could ever need.
None of this was an afterthought. It was God’s plan all along.
He knew we would sin and turn away from his gracious love. He also knew the only one who could save us was his own Son, Jesus. So, he sent Jesus to pay the penalty for our sin with his own blood, shed on the cross. Jesus didn’t do this reluctantly. He did it because he wanted to.
The most amazing part of this is that none of it depends on us. That’s grace, a gift so complete that Jesus finished the work before we could even begin.
No wonder Paul’s praise overflows. Let’s pause for a moment and take in God’s grace, this wonderful gift of salvation. Even if we never received another blessing from God, we could still praise his name forever.
Prayer: Lord, like Paul, we struggle to find words to thank you for what you’ve done for us in Christ. Help us to recognise how richly and lavishly you have blessed us. May our whole lives reflect gratitude for your grace. Amen.
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