Ephesians 1:3-14 (NRSV)
Read Ephesians 1:3-14 on biblegateway.com
Verse 3Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, Verse 4just as he chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless before him in love. Verse 5He destined us for adoption as his children through Jesus Christ, according to the good pleasure of his will, Verse 6to the praise of his glorious grace that he freely bestowed on us in the Beloved. Verse 7In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace Verse 8that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and insight Verse 9he has made known to us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure that he set forth in Christ, Verse 10as a plan for the fullness of time, to gather up all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth. Verse 11In Christ we have also obtained an inheritance, having been destined according to the purpose of him who accomplishes all things according to his counsel and will, Verse 12so that we, who were the first to set our hope on Christ, might live for the praise of his glory. Verse 13In him you also, when you had heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and had believed in him, were marked with the seal of the promised Holy Spirit; Verse 14this is the pledge of our inheritance toward redemption as God's own people, to the praise of his glory.
Devotion
The old saying, “you said a mouthful!” might well apply to this passage from Ephesians. It is a translator’s nightmare; in the original Greek verses three through 14 are all one sentence! Just even try to read it all in one breath, let alone begin to comprehend the wondrous story of God’s grace and plan of salvation, all focused in Jesus Christ, that the author seeks to gather into one gigantic hymn of praise. It might just blow your mind if even for a moment—let alone for this whole day on which we contemplate the turning of the new year—you could grasp the good news that in Christ Jesus you were chosen even before the world was created and you were destined to be God’s child so that you might sing praises to God’s glorious grace.
Prayer
O God of hope and promise, wonder of wonders that you had it in mind from the very beginning, this gift of Jesus Christ, all just so that you could claim me as your child and gather me with all your creation as a glorious chorus to sing your praises for eternity. Amen.