Ephesians 1:11-14 — Conversations with God

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… 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 put our hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory.  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, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory.

Father, I have not worried or even dreamed about whether my dad will leave me an inheritance.  There’s no family land or home to hand down, no nest egg I am aware of.  You, God, have prospered me sufficiently that I have my own home and perhaps even some retirement money.  I know that in other cultures, however, obtaining the inheritance might be the difference between being a beggar on the streets or not.

I had no spiritual inheritance coming to me before You rescued me.  I was spiritually destitute and headed for a very dark eternity without You.  I was drifting and purposeless until You gave me life.  Now I have obtained the most glorious inheritance possible.  I am predestined by You to be an example of the praiseworthiness of Your glory.  I am unutterably rich in relationship with You and an owner of all that is Yours.  The immediacy of Your presence that I enjoy and experience now will only be heightened, deepened, and extended in the kingdom.

You have accomplished all this by merely willing it.  Amazing!

And You have added another blessing to me.  I think this counts as six now that Your apostle lists.  You have sealed me in Jesus with the promised Holy Spirit.  I listened to the message of truth, the good news that proclaimed my rescue by Jesus, and when I believed, the Holy Spirit entered into my life and like a signet ring or a regular sealed pressed into melted wax, He became the evidence that authenticated my rescue by Jesus.

He poured out Your love for me into my heart (Romans 5:3), bore witness with my spirit that I am Your child (Romans 8), gave me power to overcome sin (Romans 6,8; Galatians 5), and took up permanent residence in me (John 14; Romans 8).

Now He is the pledge or promise of my future inheritance because with Him in my life I am marked as belonging to You, Your own possession, and He will certainly complete the redeeming of my life.  I have been redeemed, made Your purchased possession, and I am being redeemed.  You are still winning over portions of my yet rebellious heart bit by bit.  And I will be redeemed entirely at the resurrection and coming kingdom, when all things are made new.

You deserve praise for this, God!