Devotional reflection on Ephesians 1:3-14

In my quiet time, I love to re-write passages of Scripture as if God and I are speaking directly to each other.

Please read my personal translation of Ephesians 1:3-14 below:

Father, You have blessed me with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because I am united with Christ. Even before You made the world, You loved me and chose me in Christ to be holy and without fault in Your eyes. You decided in advance to adopt me into Your own family by bringing me to Yourself through Jesus Christ. This is what You wanted to do, and it gave You great pleasure. So I praise You for the glorious grace You have poured out on me who belongs to Your dear Son. You are so rich in kindness and grace that You purchased my freedom with the blood of Your (beautiful) Son and forgave my sins. You have showered Your kindness on me, along with all wisdom and understanding...

...Furthermore, because I am united with Christ, I have received an inheritance from You, for You chose me in advance, and You make everything work out according to Your plan (even though I made a mess, Your plan has prevailed in my life)...

...And now I have heard the truth, the Good News that You saved (sōtērias healed, preserved) me. And when I believed in Christ, You identified me as Your own by giving me the Holy Spirit, whom You promised long ago. The Spirit is Your guarantee that You will give me the inheritance You promised and that You have purchased me to be Yours. You did this so I would praise and glorify You.

You Are Blessed With Every Spiritual Blessing in the Heavenly Realms

You and I are...

  1. united with Christ.
  2. loved by God.
  3. chosen by God.
  4. made to be holy.
  5. made to be without fault in God's eyes.
  6. adopted into God's family.
  7. shown glorious grace by God.
  8. belong to Jesus.
  9. shown endless kindness by God.
  10. made free by the blood of Jesus.
  11. forgiven of our sins.
  12. given all wisdom and understanding.
  13. heirs of God.
  14. a part of God's plan.
  15. hearer's of the Good News.
  16. saved, healed, and preserved.
  17. filled with the Holy Spirit.
  18. purchased by God.
  19. God's precious possession.
  20. made to praise and glorify God!

Believers, we never have reason to be discouraged, for God, our Father, made a way for us to be united with Christ. He wanted to bring us back to Him and bless us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms. This is all His idea and we have done nothing to earn these blessings! What can we do but we respond in worship and seek to glorify Him by laying down our lives and following Jesus?