A Pleasant Experience

Scripture: Ephesians 1:9 "having made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He purposed in Himself,"

Observation: God revealed Himself to us, "made known." According to 3:5 God chose the specific time to do it. God had no counselors or influence. God had no inner need to create us or save us. All of this has been accomplished because He wanted to do it. The gospel, the cross, the redemption, the truth of our need - all known because God made it known.

Before He made it known, God made the decision to reveal it.

The decision was accompanied by His good pleasure. I don't believe the world can comprehend the absolute and thorough purity of the pleasure of God. If His face shines on it with blessing, that is a power that cannot be extinguished nor even diminished in the slightest way by any means of darkness.

Application: More grace shown. This means more praise and thankfulness on my part toward God. I am not often thankful enough nor do I often live as one that has had the love, grace and mercy of God showered on me.

I am completely floored that God would reveal such amazing love and works to me. I am so unworthy of His favor and yet He showers it on me. The world stands in an awkward place before God. We're so deserving of evil consequences for our evil hearts, thoughts and actions and yet we're given the exact opposite. The Lord could have never redeemed me and I would have no blame to give Him nor fault to find. He would have been just in leaving me to the consequences of my actions - eternal punishmet. Everyone knows this in their heart and conscience.

Prayer: Father, please help me to identify myself in You! The fact is that I am not a citizen of this world and I am no longer condemned. I'm saved, free, forgiven, chosen, safe, healed, adopted and redeemed. Make me a thankful person as Your word says we all should be - at all times. I lack gratitude to You and those around me loose the blessings and encouragement that I should be showing because of it. God, let it be You that is seen in me. I know that it will take learning, trying; so I just ask for Your presence.