October 10, 2016 (Monday)
The Bible book of Ephesians begins with a message of Christian assurance. We are special to the Lord. Chosen by grace, given abundant peace in our hearts, and filled with hope.
We have an eternal inheritance. It can never spoil, fade or perish. Not even gold is permanent. Our eternal inheritance cannot be taken from us. This inheritance means we are rich, but the riches are spiritual. What could be of greater value than the constant presence of our Savior forever?
Granted life can be hard for Christians as well as everyone else. But God has promised to strengthen us through our trials, which test us “for a little while.” Life with its experiences both good and bad proves our faith to be genuine. As the song says, when we are tried, where can we go but to the Lord? The tough times prove to us that we are His.
There is a quality of life known and experienced as “the joy of salvation.” God permits us to believe in Him. He chose to reveal Himself to us, even though He could have kept Himself hidden from us. He permits us to love Him, though we cannot see Him. He allows us to rejoice in Him, to know day by day the inexpressible, glorious joy of His salvation.
We are full of hope because someday we shall meet Jesus face to face, after a life in
which God never forsakes us, rejoicing all the while in the salvation he gives us. We have something even the angels do not have: salvation by grace.
The remarks above are based on Ephesians 1:1-14 (NIV):
“Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, To God’s holy people in Ephesus, the faithful in Christ Jesus: 2 Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
3 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. 4 For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love 5 he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will– 6 to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. 7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace 8 that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and understanding, 9 he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, 10 to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment–to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ.
11 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, 12 in order that we, who were the first to put our hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory. 13 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, 14 who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession–to the praise of his glory.”