Ephesians 1:3 & 18
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ… the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what the hope of His calling is.
What of Today’s Verse…
We have seen that all the grace resources God has for us to live by here on earth are already ours “in Christ.” Now, our need is to have these comprehensive spiritual treasures revealed to us by the Lord Himself: “the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what the hope of His calling is.” In order to draw upon these heavenly provisions, we need the Lord to enlighten our understanding concerning what is ours in Christ Jesus. “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him. But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit” (1Co_2:9-10). As the Holy Spirit uses the word of God to reveal these matters to us, our faith develops so we might access them by faith. “So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Rom_10:17).
The scriptures teach us to pray for such spiritual enlightenment. “Open my eyes, that I may see wondrous things from Your law” (Psa_119:18). In the word of God, we are told of the wonderful things that God has for His people. If we prayerfully seek the Lord concerning His insight into these blessings, the Lord will enlighten us. His willingness to respond is evident in His word. “Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know” (Jer_33:3).
The Lord delights to give heavenly spiritual insight to the humble of heart, not to those who trust in their own wisdom and prudence. “In that hour Jesus rejoiced in the Spirit and said, ‘I praise You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and prudent and revealed them to babes'” (Luke 10:21). This picture of a little one humbly trusting in the Heavenly Father to reveal His ways fits perfectly God’s pattern for living by grace: humility and faith. What God has given us in Christ are His grace resources. It takes grace at work for us to even see what is ours in Him. God gives grace to the humble (Jam_4:6), and faith accesses grace (Rom_5:2).
Let us Pray:
Dear Lord, fountain of every heavenly blessing, I humble myself before You. On my own, I could never discover the richness You have given me in Christ. Please enlighten me by Your Spirit, as I search Your scriptures. Build my faith to draw upon Your grace resources day by day, through Christ I pray, Amen.
Words of Wisdom
Grace
I move gracefully through life as the Christ presence guides me.
The familiar phrase “Nobody’s perfect!” may help me accept a human failing or setback and keep it in perspective. But in Truth, through grace, the correct phrase is actually “Everybody’s perfect!”
There is a part of each and every creation that is perfect–the Christ presence within. This divine aspect of my being is ever- present. Before any activity or decision, and especially if I don’t feel up to the task at hand, I turn within and call upon my inner strength and divine perfection.
The power and presence of the Christ within is always available to help me gracefully move through life. While it may seem at times that “nobody’s perfect,” all is perfect through the grace of God.
“Unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ.”–Ephesians 4:7
