Thursday, March 8, 2007

Signed, sealed and delivered

Ephesians 1:11-14

What does it say?
We were chosen in Christ according to God's sovereign plan. The disciples and apostles were the first to put their hope in Christ but we all have been included when we responded to the gospel of Christ. Upon belief, we were given the Holy Spirit who is a guarantee of our final redemption.

What does it mean?
The sovreignty of God comes through pretty clearly here: he had a plan from before the beginning of time and our submission to Jesus was part of that plan. This gives confidence that the plan will be completed: I will be completely redeemed and sanctified. My confidence is that God is in control and, up to this point (and I have no reason to doubt it will be any different in the future) his plan has worked out to perfection and that God has given me the Holy Spirit to live in me as a deposit or seal that I will one day be with him.

What do I do about this?
This gives me motivation to trust God in this lifetime (and not just for the final outcome of my eternal destiny). As Christine and I wait for the social worker to finish her report and as we wait after that for a birth mom to choose us, I can be confident that God has a plan. His timing will be perfect and when we finally get a baby it will be the perfect one for us. God's plan is sure and good and right.

3 comments:

Ben said...

Jer,

That is great, and a very real application right now. Teena and I are really looking at our future, and trying to do some planning and your words spoke right to me. Everything will be brought together under him adn so he has all our lives and details in hand.

jerlight said...

It's easy to say but really hard to live sometimes. That doesn't make it any less true though. I'll be praying for you guys.

Graham said...

The sovreignty in the beginning verses are amazing. It is described very well and makes me almost relaxed.

In verse 22 it says "And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church....
UNDER HIS FEET, he leads the way, decides all, knows all, he is the man! I love those three words. love em.