Making Time for God

11. Blessed

It's me again God,

I'm so thankful to be able to open Your Word each morning and be enriched by all that I read! Today as I have looked at Paul's letter to the church at Ephesus, again I am so grateful for all I have in You. I love the way Paul outlines the many ways he has been blessed:

"Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, To God's holy people in Ephesus, the faithful in Christ Jesus: Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ.
* For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight.
* In love he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves.
* In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace that he lavished on us.
* With all wisdom and understanding, he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment—to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ."
‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭1:1-10‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Lord I often walk around sounding very ungrateful, when in fact I am the recipient of such incredible gifts! Paul's list continues to grow:

"* In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, in order that we, who were the first to put our hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory.
* And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation.
* When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession—to the praise of his glory."
‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭1:11-14‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Wow I certainly feel special, being reminded of this and it's something I cannot keep to myself! I want to know You better and I certainly want this for my family and friends, so I join Paul in his prayer:

"I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come."
‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭1:17-21‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Only You can enlighten the eyes of my heart and I trust that this will be so for those who are precious to me. I am excited to remember that I step into this day with Your incomparably great power and so much more! I am so blessed!

In Jesus' Name,
Amen.