Recently some members of our church spent some time in Ephesians 1, and walked through these incredible promises. Here are the verses - Ephesians 1:3-14 NIV:
[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. [7] In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace [8] that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and understanding, [9] he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, [10] to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment---to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ."
[11] "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, [12] in order that we, who were the first to put our hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory. [13] And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, [14] who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession---to the praise of his glory."
As we were talking through these sections, the theme of our adoption into a place of sonship and daughtership, was brought up over and over again. Our identity as a son or daughter is essential for us to understand as all blessings are supposed to flow to us out of that relationship, to God's Glory. In Christ, through our salvation and redemption, we have been blessed with every spiritual blessing in Christ! Wow, that is actually unfathomable!
These verses and others like them talking about our sonship, our adoption, and our inheritance like Romans 8:14-17 are key to how we must understand our identity for us to walk fully in God plans and purposes. We are called to represent Him to this world, and part of that representation is our invitation to continue Jesus' ministry, operating in the power of the Holy Spirit, as first experienced in Acts 2, but demonstrated over an over again in the rest of Acts. The miracles, the signs and wonders, the healings, the casting out of demons, the inspired preaching and prophetic insight are all ours to lay-hold of for they are part of our heavenly inheritance as sons and daughters of God! Oh what a lovely and blessed invitation we have received! Oh that we might live out the fullness of this in our daily lives! This is definitely my heart!
Yesterday while walking in the park I was thinking very similar thoughts to what I wrote above, reflecting on my life, and my inheritance in Christ! I was suddenly reminded of another son and inheritance as described by Jesus in Luke 15:11-32 in His parable of the wayward son. Without quoting all the verses here, the basics of the story is that the younger son of a rich man, asked for his inheritance early, and went and squandered it in a distant land. Jesus describes it as follows, “Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living. After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need." ( Luke 15:13-14 NIV)
The idea of squandering all of his wealth in wild living is a picture to me of someone who does everything they want to do, a wholly selfish individual. They see no value in the relationship, no importance to their authority as son, no desire to represent the Father! Historically, I always thought this was a picture of those who have fallen away from the faith, who have lived in a place of relationship and blessing, only to reject it all for the sake of their own selfish desires.
That understanding might be true, but yesterday the Lord opened my eyes to how in many ways I am like that younger son!
Ouch!
I was not expecting that!
As I thought about it I realized this was absolutely true! In light of the eternal blessing, spiritual blessings, wisdom and revelation, this incredible inheritance that I have received and been gifted in Christ, what have I done? More often then not, my focus is wholly on myself, I am focused on what I want to be focused on, I am concerned about my little wants and needs rather than representing the Lord! I might not of spent it all on wild living, but I certainly have not done much with it that would represent the Lord in a meaningful way!
I have used the gifts and talents given me by God for my own betterment, my own desires and purposes. I think much more about my own desires and plans than I ever do of the Lords! I am less concerned about His will and purpose than I am my own. I don't operate in real authority, power or wisdom, yet they are all available to me! I have squandered much of what I have been given!
Worse yet, I think much of the church is in a similar state! We have as our inheritance all authority and power, the continued ministry of Jesus, and we settle for building churches that we want, lifestyles that suit us, feeling good about our weekly service, about how well we sang, or preached or whatever, yet lacking the power, the authority, the mercy, compassion and love demonstrated by Jesus! The Church of God is meant to represent the ministry of Jesus to a fallen world, and more often than not we bicker and fight amongst ourselves, and are more focused on our stuff than what the Lord is about in the rest of the Body of Christ.
Oh Lord forgive me for squandering my inheritance!
Oh Lord, I need Your help!
Oh Lord, we need Your Help!
Help us come to our senses! Help us to recognize the truth of our inheritance, the authority and power, and heavenly blessings that are ours in You! Help us to return to the Lord and receive the embrace, the robe, ring and sandals of our identity, those which represent our true inheritance! Help us to wake up and recognize that You are waiting with loving arms, waiting for us to turn towards You, that You might run to us and embrace us and restore all that we have squandered!
Lord, I want to step into my inheritance as Your son! Help me to rightly represent You in ALL I do! Help me to take my eyes off myself, off my wants and desires, that I might look to You to see what You care about, what You purpose for me!
The GREAT NEWS is that God does forgive, is waiting for me to return with open arms and plans to restore everything I have squandered!
Amen and Amen!
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