Ephesians 1 describes the beautiful inheritance we have in Christ.
But most days, I forget that I am promised beautiful things.
For instance, according to Ephesians, I am:
First of all, to be presented before God holy and blameless. This is pretty hard to picture some days... most days actually >.< I, being myself, have the privilege of looking at my insides all day, and let me tell you, there's still quite a bit of work to be done. Most days I do not feel so close to that condition of perfection and wholeness. Holy and blameless. This phrase means that when Jesus returns, he'll finish the work that he started in me (Phil. 1:6) and then I'll be presented before him "without spot or wrinkle or any such thing... that she might be holy and without blemish" (Eph. 5:27). That is an amazing thought...
But until that time when we can claim our full inheritance, we have "the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance *until we acquire possession of it" (Eph. 1:13-14). This verse also translates it as *until God redeems his possession. That's us!
Anyway, it was really funny because as I was reading Ephesians I thought, "You know, I really don't go through my day thinking, someday I'm going to be presented holy and blameless before God. Oh, I also have all this lavish grace that's available to me because of the great love with which God loves me. And to get me through this hard life, he even gave me his own Holy Spirit to guide me."
This reminds me of the story of Anastasia...
Anastasia is an orphan clad in rags. Penniless and homeless, she has no one to rely on. However, there are certain things she can "almost remember." She cannot remember where she comes from or who she belongs to, but something tells her there is a place she especially belongs.
Psalm 16
The Lord is my chosen portion and my cup;
you hold my lot.
The lines have fallen for me in pleasant places;
indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance.
But most days, I forget that I am promised beautiful things.
For instance, according to Ephesians, I am:
- Blessed with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places.
- To be presented before God holy and blameless. (Wow!!)
- Chosen for adoption.
- Blessed in the Beloved (Jesus).
- Forgiven and redeemed- due to the riches of his grace, which He lavishes upon me.
- I'm told about and included in the purposes of his will (which is to unite all things in him).
First of all, to be presented before God holy and blameless. This is pretty hard to picture some days... most days actually >.< I, being myself, have the privilege of looking at my insides all day, and let me tell you, there's still quite a bit of work to be done. Most days I do not feel so close to that condition of perfection and wholeness. Holy and blameless. This phrase means that when Jesus returns, he'll finish the work that he started in me (Phil. 1:6) and then I'll be presented before him "without spot or wrinkle or any such thing... that she might be holy and without blemish" (Eph. 5:27). That is an amazing thought...
But until that time when we can claim our full inheritance, we have "the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance *until we acquire possession of it" (Eph. 1:13-14). This verse also translates it as *until God redeems his possession. That's us!
Anyway, it was really funny because as I was reading Ephesians I thought, "You know, I really don't go through my day thinking, someday I'm going to be presented holy and blameless before God. Oh, I also have all this lavish grace that's available to me because of the great love with which God loves me. And to get me through this hard life, he even gave me his own Holy Spirit to guide me."
This reminds me of the story of Anastasia...
Anastasia is an orphan clad in rags. Penniless and homeless, she has no one to rely on. However, there are certain things she can "almost remember." She cannot remember where she comes from or who she belongs to, but something tells her there is a place she especially belongs.
Sometimes it seems that God is sending me reminders about himself throughout the day. I'll stop through my day of worrying as a breeze catches my hair. Sunsets and simple goodness remind me that there is a wholeness in me brought by the One who loves me.
By stopping to remember these things, I can agree that I have a beautiful inheritance.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
The Lord is my chosen portion and my cup;
you hold my lot.
The lines have fallen for me in pleasant places;
indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance.
