This Joy That I Have, The World Didn't Give It To Me

This will be the abridged version this morning as I hit the off button on the alarm and promptly went back to sleep.

We have no idea how privileged we are in the age we live. Sure we have all the conveniences that technology has managed to muster up for  us. We have clothes washers and driers that make quick work of something that used to take hours every day by hand. Most people have dishwashers that take the pain out of cooking and eating. If we don't want to cook we can either head out to cheap restaurants or order in almost any food we can imagine. We have cars that take us from A to B without much thought, or if we prefer to support the environmental cause, we have a great public transportation system. Obviously I could fill this blog with the many conveniences we have and I think we take them all for granted because in many ways we have become spoiled. It is no different with the spiritual blessings we have received.

Many followers of Jesus act as if they are spoiled. I have no idea if they are but I know what my eyes and ears tell me. We have no idea what a privileged age we live in. We have received the spiritual blessings and have allowed them to become a second thought in our day. What are these spiritual blessings you ask? Allow me to share them with you:

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. For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding. And he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, to be put into effect when the times will have reached their fulfillment—to bring all things in heaven and on earth together under one head, even Christ.
In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, in order that we, who were the first to hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory. And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession—to the praise of his glory. (Ephesians 1:3-14)

Now here is the thing, there are others who saw this day, the day when this age would have all these blessings that they did not have. Peter writes:

Concerning this salvation, the prophets, who spoke of the grace that was to come to you, searched intently and with the greatest care, trying to find out the time and circumstances to which the Spirit of Christ in them was pointing when he predicted the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow. (1 Peter 1:10-11)

The prophets looked at this age with longing as they searched to discover if they would get to taste of these privileges. This is what they discovered:

It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves but you, when they spoke of the things that have now been told you by those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. (1 Peter 1:12)

Like Moses they only had the opportunity to glimpse what was being promised. They were serving us and they gave out God's plan so that it would be a confirmation of what we have received. We possess what they longed for. But it is not just the prophets:

Even angels long to look into these things. (1 Peter 1:12)

Even the angels have not experienced what we take for granted and do not give much consideration to every day. What a spoiled and unappreciative bunch of children we are. These spiritual blessings are the reason you should be reading this with a heart of joy and thanksgiving despite your circumstances today. Nothing and no one can touch these blessings today. You have received salvation, it is yours and no one can take it away from you. You are an adopted son and God's purpose for you is to be holy and blameless, and he is working that plan out even as you prepare for your day. It is incredible how rich we are with all these blessings so it is about time we act the part. Get rid of the frown the world has put on your face this morning because your source of joy does not come from the world but from our Father above who has smothered you with his love. You dishonour him when you allow lesser things to rob you of the joy he has given you. So smarten up and honour our God today by being the joyful child he has called you to be.