In love he predestined us for adoption through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved.
Ephesians 1.5-6.
These verses in Ephesians 1, are not unlike the Golden Chain of Romans 8, Dr Eryl Davies’s devotionals in which we are sharing in parallel, this week – the next two will be on Saturday and Sunday. This should not surprise us because the author, Paul, is the same and the wonder of the gospel filled and enthused every part of him. It is my prayer that as we meditate on these two chapters we, likewise, might:
‘Stand amazed in the presence
of Jesus the Nazarene
And wonder how he could love me
A sinner condemned unclean.’
The glorious thing is that we do not actually need to wonder, for Paul gives us the reason in our two verses this morning following on from the fact that as believers, we are ‘chosen’, as we saw yesterday.
Today ‘being chosen’ is not so much added to but we are given a different slant on the chosenness of our standing.
When my wife and I were first married we failed, not from want of trying, to have children. It was not easy so we looked to adoption – to add to our family a child who otherwise would not have had a father and mother to care for him. It was a carefully considered step which we took after much advice and prayer. It has not been an easy ride but our adopted son is legally and fully a member of our family. Why did we take that course? Because we wanted to love a child and provide a secure environment for his growth and development and ultimately, we pray, the understanding of what it means to be a member of God’s family.
In love God predestined us for adoption through Jesus Christ when he chose us before the world began. Further it was done ‘according to the purpose of his will’ and ‘to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved (Jesus)’. That is description of perfect adoption.
As a believer these words describe you and me! How do you match up? How do I match up?
Are we daily fulfilling the purpose for which God chose us, brought us into his family by adoption? Are we walking in his will? Do our lives praise his glorious grace?
Amazing Grace is a popular hymn but how deeply have we plumbed the depths of grace? It has been observed that this hymn is the most recorded of any over the years and sadly thousands sing it with little or no understanding of what this ‘grace’ is. It was written from the heart as a personal testimony as John Newton reflected on what he had been and what he had now become, and his life became a living testimony to his status in Christ – chosen and adopted.
May the lives of each one of us today be lived to the praise of his glorious grace.