A Devotional Journey through the Book of Ephesians
by, Pastor Paul Georgulis
Monday, April 20, 2020 – Ephesians 1:1-6 – God Chose You!
As we dive into the book of Ephesians, it’s good to have a little background. So here it is…
Book: Ephesians
Genre: Epistle (letter)
Author: The Apostle Paul
Audience: Paul wrote this letter to the Church at Ephesus. However, some scholars believe this letter
was an encyclical – a letter intended to be circulated and read among all the churches in Asia Minor. If this is the case, the Ephesian Church just happened to be the first recipient of the letter.
Purpose: Paul wrote to strengthen believers in their Christian faith by explaining the nature and
purpose of the church – the Body of Christ.
Scripture: Ephesians 1:1-6, emphasis on verses 4-6
“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.” – Ephesians 1:1-6 (New International Version)
Did you catch that? God – the Creator of the entire universe, including the 7.8 billion people who currently live on this earth, and the 100.2 billion who once walked this earth – chose to love you. God chose you! And not only did He want to choose you, but it brought Him immense pleasure to do so. Let that sink in for a moment.
This shows us that Salvation – our eternal, spiritual deliverance from the wrath of God and our entry fee into an eternity in heaven – depends totally on God and that we can do nothing to earn it on our own. God is looking for us. God relentlessly pursues us. It has been that way since the beginning; it is that way now. Through God’s infinite love for us, He has adopted us as His own children. It baffles us to think about why God chooses to love us when we are flawed and sinful people, but Christ’s sacrifice on the cross – that He willingly endured for us – makes us holy and blameless in God’s sight. In light of this, we should want to do nothing but express our thanks to God for pouring out His wonderful love on us!
Prayer:
Lord, I can’t wrap my mind around the fact that you chose me, that you want a relationship with me, and that you love me. I know me, and I know the things I do that separate me from you. And yet, you know them, too, and you still chose me. I am honored, Lord. Thank you for your relentless, never changing, unconditional love. Help me to always live my life in a manner worthy of receiving that love.
In Jesus’ most precious name I pray, amen.
