I think it is hard for us to even imagine how precious we are to our Father. All we often see are our faults, failings, shortcomings. mistakes and sins. We look at ourselves and find it hard to believe that God could love anyone like us. But he does. He has most certainly poured out his affection on us even when we continue to reject him. He loves us so much that he had decided on a plan to rescue us even before the first day of creation.
We often hear that before we were born God knew us but according to Ephesians 1 he has known us before creation and he loved us. He predetermined that he would rescue us. The Word of God refers to it as predestined or predestination, which some people read as preselected. But the meaning of this word is describing our Father's will that all of us would be saved. It is his will that everyone ever born would be rescued from their destination of destruction. It is his will but our choice:
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 ... (Ephesians 1:11)
That's something, isn't it? I am amazed by it every time I try to wrap my brain around it. Our Father knew before time began of every word, thought, emotion and action of mine that would offend and hurt him but, like the best Father in heaven and earth, he still chose to love me. He chose to forgive me. He chose to make a way where there was no way for me to come to him. This was his plan and he worked out everything in history and time so that I would have that opportunity to respond to him. Amazing.
There is purpose in it all. There should be fruit that results from this great effort by our God. There should be a natural thing that is produced from this great love. That thing is our response and the response of all the heavenly beings who are looking in on the matter in amazement. Our response can only be one thing:
... in order that we, who were the first to hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory. (Ephesians 1:12)
Praise is what naturally flows out of hearts of gratitude for a Father who has demonstrated such great love for his enemy, which is what we were. He loved us as if we were his children even though we were in rebellion to him. How can we not glorify our God? How can we not spend our days worshipping such a Father and the instrument through whom he rescued us, our Lord Jesus, the Christ? All of heaven looks in on this matter and respond in praise, glorifying God for such a generous act of love, mercy and grace.
If you are struggling with anything this day, even if it is with loving yourself, then remember this: our Father loved you before time began. He loved you so much that he worked out a plan to rescue you before there was a single plant on this earth or a fish in the sea. You may not be all that old but God's knowledge of you is and he loves you. He worked his plan for you. He sacrificed, paid the price, and gave his all just so you would have the opportunity to know him. He loves you, forgives you and adopts you as his own. Now isn't that something worth celebrating?
Look up!
Showing posts with label predestined. Show all posts
Showing posts with label predestined. Show all posts
Wednesday, September 5, 2012
Saturday, September 1, 2012
He Fell In Love With You Before There Was Light
Do you know why I love Jesus? He never gave up on me. Despite my rebellion against him he never walked away. Despite my disobedience he never washed his hands of me. Despite my whining and complaining he never got frustrated and left me to my own. Despite my disbelief he never stopped believing in me. When Jesus tells me he loves me it comes with a depth of action that no one else can match.
If we all know this, how can any of us not understand and accept the blessings of God today?
Look up!
Jesus loves us as the Father loves us and the Father has loved us before he called light into being. He loved us and he laid out his plan to rescue us even before he created man, before man had a chance to rebel, before any of this happened. Yes, our Father knew exactly what was going to happen and he made is plans to counter it with love and then he went ahead with bringing everything into being.
He went ahead with it because he wanted you to have the opportunity to know him. He wanted the opportunity, even the possibility of the opportunity, of being with you.
It is like the mom and dad who get the news that their unborn child has a defect. The doctor asks if they want to terminate the pregnancy. But their heart is already so full of love for that child that they can't imagine never meeting her. Despite the cost they want to know that child and fill her life with their love. The only difference is that our Father heals our defects.
Get this:
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. (Ephesians 1:5-6)
Predestined, not as in done without our will. Predestined, as in we are destined for salvation, as in it is ours if we accept it. It is our Father's will, desire, longing and hope that everyone would be saved from the destruction of our rebellion.
This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. (1 Timothy 2:3-4)
He loves us all that much! He loves all of us that much, sinner and saint.
Having a hard day, week, month, year? Then be encouraged this morning by embracing this blessing that, according to our Father's pleasure and will, he has always planned to adopt you as his son. We say "son" here because in the tradition of the Bible it is the son who inherits the blessings of the father, and in this sense we have all been called sons, male and female. Don't lose the beauty of this blessing over the male and female issue.
The fact is, our Father considered the thought of you before he called the light into being and fell in love with you, deciding he wanted you to be his. Before he said "Let there be light" he was already in love with you.
Reflect on that today and see how blessed you end up feeling.
And he did this through the first born, who he dearly loves, our Lord and King, Jesus! Yes, the same Jesus who never gives up on us no matter what.
Oh, I feel the need to find a rooftop and shout out my love and praises for such an incredibly Father and his Son who shares his Father's love for us.
If we all know this, how can any of us not understand and accept the blessings of God today?
Look up!
Jesus loves us as the Father loves us and the Father has loved us before he called light into being. He loved us and he laid out his plan to rescue us even before he created man, before man had a chance to rebel, before any of this happened. Yes, our Father knew exactly what was going to happen and he made is plans to counter it with love and then he went ahead with bringing everything into being.
He went ahead with it because he wanted you to have the opportunity to know him. He wanted the opportunity, even the possibility of the opportunity, of being with you.
It is like the mom and dad who get the news that their unborn child has a defect. The doctor asks if they want to terminate the pregnancy. But their heart is already so full of love for that child that they can't imagine never meeting her. Despite the cost they want to know that child and fill her life with their love. The only difference is that our Father heals our defects.
Get this:
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. (Ephesians 1:5-6)
Predestined, not as in done without our will. Predestined, as in we are destined for salvation, as in it is ours if we accept it. It is our Father's will, desire, longing and hope that everyone would be saved from the destruction of our rebellion.
This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. (1 Timothy 2:3-4)
He loves us all that much! He loves all of us that much, sinner and saint.
Having a hard day, week, month, year? Then be encouraged this morning by embracing this blessing that, according to our Father's pleasure and will, he has always planned to adopt you as his son. We say "son" here because in the tradition of the Bible it is the son who inherits the blessings of the father, and in this sense we have all been called sons, male and female. Don't lose the beauty of this blessing over the male and female issue.
The fact is, our Father considered the thought of you before he called the light into being and fell in love with you, deciding he wanted you to be his. Before he said "Let there be light" he was already in love with you.
Reflect on that today and see how blessed you end up feeling.
And he did this through the first born, who he dearly loves, our Lord and King, Jesus! Yes, the same Jesus who never gives up on us no matter what.
Oh, I feel the need to find a rooftop and shout out my love and praises for such an incredibly Father and his Son who shares his Father's love for us.
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