Many years ago, I read the story of a woman named Hetty Green who died in 1916 and left an estate valued at over $100 million dollars yet she ate cold oatmeal (yuck) because it cost too much to heat it. Her son had a leg amputated because she prolonged treatment while looking for a free clinic. Why a person with seemingly limitless wealth would live and die like a pauper stirred my mind and heart this morning as I read from Ephesians, chapter one. We who have been bought by the precious blood of Christ must say "oh me" because we choose to live often as spiritual vagabonds instead of sons and daughters of the King.
Don Moen sings a song with lyrics that go like this: "Think about His love, think about His goodness, think about His grace that's brought us through..." and this morning I have meditated on how good and gracious He has been to this lady. In the Epistle to the Ephesians, the Apostle Paul outlines in chapters 1-3 their and our privileged position because of the grace of Christ and in chapters 4-6, the practical outworking in accordance to that position. Oh, the treasures we find in His Word and we can't help but to rejoice as we meditate on some of them that we have in Christ from this book of Ephesians. We are chosen by Him, according to verse 4. Surely, we still get excited when we realize that fact, don't we? Why, I ask myself often, did He desire me? I have written before about how happy we would be when we were kids and were chosen for the team. I still remember the day that my name was called out, as a 9th grader, that I had made the varsity basketball team. I was thrilled to go home and tell Daddy that I did not have to play JV but would play with the Juniors and Seniors. Now, as surprising and exciting that the news was, today, it means little but to have been chosen by the Maker of the universe to participate in His plan for the ages, well, I just can't get over that especially when I remember that my 3-pt. and layup ability didn't impress Him at all. I had nothing to offer to Him, actually, felt like the last person He would choose for the team, yet He chose me. While I was a sinner, He set His love upon me!
We see that in all of these spiritual blessings that the purpose was "to the praise of His glory", not because of who we were and are. He has accepted us, Saints. Isn't that a glorious thought? All children want to be accepted- they go through their young years wanting to know that someone thinks they are okay and worthy of love. Well, in the spiritual realm, we don't deserve it but in the Beloved, we are accepted by the Father. That should thrill us and change us as we see with eyes of faith a Heavenly Father Who isn't scowling and "tolerating" us but One Who delights in His kids. Chosen, accepted, and redeemed we are, bought back from the old slave master who sought our demise and set free by our new Owner to live abundant lives. By His precious blood, we are redeemed! "Redeemed, how I love to proclaim it, redeemed by the blood of the Lamb, redeemed through His infinite mercy, His child and forever I am." Fanny Crosby may not have seen with her physical eyes but spiritually, she knew the score.
Brothers and sisters, we are forgiven, according to vs 7, "according to the riches of His grace." You, like me, this morning, know your sins, even today there is the struggle between the flesh and the spirit as it will always be until we see Him in glory but He has forgiven us. We have an Advocate, Jesus Christ the Righteous Who pleads our case and because of the event that we just celebrated this weekend, the cross and the empty tomb, His sacrifice is sufficient and complete and when He cried- "It is finished!", it was finished. We are completely forgiven and clean today, Praise His Name!! People of God, we have an inheritance, one that will not fade away, we read in 1 Peter 1. Now, I don't know about you but Danny nor I came from wealthy families so there is no huge financial allotment for us and that is fine because it will all burn up one day anyway. If you have been blessed in that way, that is good too. God has done whatsoever He has pleased, the Scripture tells me. As believers though, there is an eternal inheritance that belongs to us- yes, we are joint heirs with Christ. I praise Him this morning for His lavish riches of grace shed upon us.
I will close with this though I have not scratched the surface. We are sealed, the transaction is authentic and finished. We can't lose it- we are His forever- "to the praise of His glory." Note with me again that we are the recipients but the story is all about Him! It begins with Him and will consummate with and about Him. We are humbly blessed to be a part of it , aren't we? Oh, to realize our riches in Christ and to live accordingly is my aim for writing to you dear people today. When Mark and Amy were small and would ask for something, there were times when we had to decline because there was not enough money.All parents have probably heard this line- "Well, Daddy, just write a check- you have plenty of those." We laugh because they just didn't get the concept that there must be money in the bank for those checks to be valid. Children didn't understand but I submit that on the reverse of that, we, the children of God don't understand either at times or at least, our lives don't manifest that we do. Our Heavenly Father owns it all and has an immeasurable supply of mercy and grace and strength and peace and anything else we need today. He has signed His Name in precious blood and as Paul was reminding the Ephesians of His lavish grace,let's be reminded, blessed, and encouraged today of "Him Who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, Unto Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen."
Thinking about how rich I am!
-Deborah
No comments:
Post a Comment