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Planned in Love
Andrea Lende • August 13, 2020
Ephesians 1:5
Planned in Love
You can also listen to the meditation and prayer at: https://anchor.fm/andrea-lende/episodes/Planned-In-Love-ei44l5
Daily Word:
Ephesians 1:5
“For He foreordained us (destined us, planned in love for us) to be adopted (revealed) as His own children through Jesus Christ, in accordance with the purpose of His will [because it pleased Him and was His kind intent]-”
God’s love is truly immeasurable by human standards.
I simply cannot fully grasp the depth and breadth of His love.
According to God’s Word we are adopted into His fold.
His perfect plan was to make us His children.
He didn’t have to.
He could have chosen otherwise.
But, He didn’t.
His plan included saving me and saving you.
His chosen people were the Israelites.
In the Old Testament He walked with them and talked with them.
He drew them out of Egypt and saved them from slavery.
He protected them, fed them, and His Spirit remained with them as they wandered around the wilderness.
He made David, the shepherd boy, a king.
Through David’s lineage the Messiah was born.
Jesus died to save all people from their sins.
Then Paul, who killed Christians, was changed by the Lord to spread the Gospel to the Gentiles.
God made a way to save us some two thousand years after He sent His Son to this earth.
Our verse says, “For He foreordained us (destined us, planned in love for us) to be adopted (revealed) as His own children”.
He loved us so much that His perfect plan was always in motion to bring us to Him.
He didn’t forget about all of us.
His love was and is bigger than just saving His chosen people.
He chose us as well.
In love, He chose us.
In love, He keeps us.
In love, He protects us.
In love, He teaches us.
Today I choose to be thankful that the Lord of Lord’s chose me to know Him, and in His kindness and love He made a way for me to know Him.
May you find that the Lord has chosen you to know Him and His perfect plan was to bring you into His care through love.
Daily Prayer:
O Lord, my God, thank You for choosing me to know You. Thank You for making a way for me to come to You and be seen as perfect in Your sight. Thank You for grafting me into Your fold. Thank you for Your mercy and grace and perfect way You love me. Help me offer mercy, grace, and love to those around me, Father. May Your Holy Spirit fill my spirit with Your love. Help me see others through Your eyes, Lord. May Your forgiving spirit be upon me. Help me forgive others without conditions. Fill me with Your Wisdom, Lord, so that I may act as You would have me act. Keep me from temptation so that I do not hurt others. Forgive my shortcomings, Father, and strengthen me so that I do not fall. Thank You for Your kindness. May I, in turn, be kind to others. Help me bless someone this day. Thank You for hearing my prayer.
Answer: I have chosen you for Myself, My child, and will always keep you.
Response: Thank You, most merciful and gracious Father.
We start a New Year! How exciting! Paul had just finished telling the Ephesians to put off their old nature. They had been run around by their feelings and desires. He told them to be renewed in their spirit. The Amplified Bible defines this to be “having a fresh mental and spiritual attitude.” As we say goodbye to this year, let us put on the new and leave the old behind. We have an opportunity to reflect on what to bring forward into this New Year.
This is a great message for the New Year. We can be in control of our own words. As a mother, I used to tell my children to use their words to explain what was happening in their minds. I tried to help them find the right words. Words that would help the situation and not make it worse. I must do the same thing when talking to them. It’s important to use words that do not damage their spirits. Words that lift up instead of tear down. Even though my children have grown, I still want to be careful how I speak to them because my worlds will impact them for the rest of their lives.
As we approach the New Year, it is a perfect time to take inventory of what part of our lives, our hearts, and our souls are not bearing fruit. What can we give up as this year comes to a close? What do we need to give to the Lord for His cleansing and pruning? The answers to these questions take time. Time with the Lord. We are creatures of routines and habits which serve us well. But we can also change our routines and habits to serve us and the Lord better. So, we can ask God to show us what He wants us to give up so that He can have more of us.
I cannot think of a better verse to meditate on as we approach the New Year. Jesus said, "the kingdom of God is within you [in your hearts] and among you [surrounding you]." For so many years I believed I had to wait to go to heaven to experience the kingdom of God. I have longed to step into heaven and meet the Lord and His Son. However, as we read the Gospels and study Jesus and all that He said, we begin to understand the kingdom of God is all around us. The kingdom of God is within.
Paul wrote to the Colossians and told them he was praying for them. He prayed they would be refreshed, renewed, and invigorated. He also prayed they would be strengthened. May his prayer be heard by the Lord God Almighty on our behalf today just as it was received two thousand years ago. God is the Source of all things beautiful and wonderful. There is no shortage of renewal, refreshment, or inspiration in His kingdom. And as the Creator of this universe, He continues to pour all good things into His people. Paul wrote that refreshment and strength are needed so we may have endurance.
This verse is the perfect verse to reflect on as Christmas comes to a close. The Lord sent His Son to us. He sent Him to this world as a babe. Jesus was given the task of growing up. A difficult one for all of us. He endured the awkward stages we all go through as we grow past them. I look back at old picture and cringe, yes, I cringe. This life provides plenty of opportunities to feel awkward and just plain weird, but our Father loves us as though we are perfect every day of our lives. This is why Jesus came. He came to make us perfect in God’s sight.
God made Himself flesh so He could take away the sins of the world. The story of the very first Christmas was humble, yet the most powerful and loving birth ever recorded in history. All humanity changed in an instant. When Jesus was born, love filled the earth. Love came down and lifted us up. The angels came to tell the shepherds of this beautiful birth. The stars in the heavens also told the story. As we do all tasks that we do to ensure a beautiful Christmas day, may we remember the miracle that God sent long ago. The miracle of all miracles.
The first Christmas was going to be documented, so that it could be read many times over for all Christmas’ to come. It was also documented so the prophecy of the Messiah’s birth would be known to be fulfilled. Prophets of old foretold Jesus would come from the house of David. They also prophesied that He would be born in Bethlehem. And all this came to pass. Even though Jesus would be known as a Nazarene, His beginning began in Bethlehem. God’s divine plan was set in motion with the first census while Mary was at the end of her pregnancy.
What a wonderful passage to read during Christmas week. Our passage touched my heart as I read it through the lens of Jesus’ birth. “It was God [personally present] in Christ, reconciling and restoring the world to favor with Himself.” We have so much to be thankful for in these few short words, “restoring the world to favor with Himself.” So undeserved and yet so graciously given. We are offered favor with the Lord. Imagine having favor with the almighty God, the Creator of the universe. Jesus chose to leave heaven’s door where all was perfect. He chose to be born into this dusty messy world.
Jesus had just spoken to a fig tree and deemed it unworthy to live because it had no fruit on it. His disciples were amazed when they saw the fig tree wither and die. Then the Lord talked to them about prayer and belief. He told them that whatever they asked for, if they had the faith and belief, they would receive it. I remember the day I started hearing music and lyrics. I had just bowed my head at the piano and asked if the Lord would bless praise and worship music. As soon as I prayed that prayer, the Lord bestowed the gift of song writing upon me.