Greetings from Paul1This letter is from Paul, chosen by the will of God to be an apostle of Christ Jesus.
I am writing to God’s holy people in Ephesus,a who are faithful followers of Christ Jesus.
2May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you grace and peace.
Spiritual Blessings
3All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ. 4Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes. 5God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure.
God is telling us that we were chosen before the world began. I believe God is timeless, but why did he choose some and not others? And why did he choose me? These are questions I do not really know how to answer. But I believe I am called by faith to accept God’s sovereign decisions. I should pray to influence them, but I must accept them.
6So we praise God for the glorious grace he has poured out on us who belong to his dear Son.b 7He is so rich in kindness and grace that he purchased our freedom with the blood of his Son and forgave our sins. 8He has showered his kindness on us, along with all wisdom and understanding.
This is the essence of salvation, and we must never forget it. God required the innocent blood of his son Jesus to cover our sins. Jesus gladly gave that blood, suffering in our place. Father, Jesus, thank you so much. There is nothing I can say that doesn’t seem embarrassingly inadequate. Father, help me become adequate.