DEVOTION – DAY 623

Ephesians 1:3 “God Blesses Us Abundantly”

Ephesians 1:3 “Praise be to God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly Realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ.”

The apostle Paul begins his letter to the Ephesians and also to us by giving praise to God for all that He has done for us. Paul tells us the blessings we receive from the Father (vv3-6), then, the blessings that come through Christ, the Son (vv7-12), and finally, the blessings through the Holy Spirit (vv13-14).

God’s blessings are indeed abundant. He had chosen us to be holy and blameless in His sight. He has chosen us to be adopted to sonship through Jesus Christ – that means He had drawn us first to Him, even when we were unbelievers and wanted nothing to do with Him. He had softened our hard hearts and rebellious spirit. He had revealed Himself through His Word. He had given us His grace, mercy, love, peace, joy, strength and every other blessing imaginable to us. That is just the beginning of what God, the Father gave to us as blessings. The rest of Ephesians charts what blessings we receive through Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit.

In response to God’s abundant blessings, we are to praise and worship our Triune God, our Living God, who is Holy and Righteous, deserving of all honor and glory. We know someone who was recently diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. It causes her to become increasingly disabled. But she would begin each day praising and worshipping God. She chooses to thank God for all His abundant blessings. She often refers to Ephesians 1 to remind herself of all the blessings she had in the Lord. This helps her to realize that her current disabilities are nothing compared to her many blessings that God had given, and continues to give her, and the many countless blessings that await her in eternity. She is then able to go about her day managing her disability with grace because she chooses to spend her day with a grateful heart.

Let us pray: Heavenly Father, we praise you as the Almighty God of the heavens and the earth. You are Sovereign, Majestic, Purposeful, and you are our Creator. Worthy, worthy, worthy are You, our Lord God Almighty. May we give you praise, honor and glory all the days of our lives. Fill us with hearts of gratitude and fill them with your love. In the precious name of the Lord Jesus Christ, we pray. Amen.

Questions

• Read Ephesians 1, what are some of the blessings that God has abundantly given us?

• How have you thanked God for these abundant blessings?

• Do you start each day with a grateful heart? If not, what steps will you take to develop starting your day with an attitude of gratitude to God? 

• What impact do you think you will have on others when you approach life with all its challenges with a grateful heart? Discuss