August 2 - Ephesians 1:3-6

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 for adoption to sonship 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.

Paul opens his letter with words of praise.  He is so filled with gratitude for the things God has done for us that he sings out words which are meant to evoke the same sensation of praise and gratitude in us.

The first step in knowing who we are in Jesus Christ is seeing the entire picture.  God did not create humanity to be separate from Him. He created us to have a relationship with us. His choice was that we would be holy and blameless in his sight, adopted through his son Jesus Christ.  This was a choice he freely made. Yet, at the same time, he gave his creation freedom of choice.

And choose, we have.  Scripture is filled with the poor choices God’s creation has made, from Adam and Eve choosing to follow the temptation of a snake, to Cain murdering his brother. As we look at our own lives, we make choices every day that separate us from God.

God is the author of grace. He gives it to us freely as we come to know his Son. He has chosen us to be his; he sent his son to bridge the gap and he extends grace to all who believe in Jesus.

He is worthy of our praise.