I’ve been praying with the Letters of the New Testament over the course of the summer. Having completed Romans and Galatians, This morning I began with Ephesians. The opening of the letter is enough to brighten anyone’s day:
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavens, as he chose us in him, before the foundation of the world, to be holy and without blemish before him. In love he destined us for adoption to himself through Jesus Christ, in accord with the favor of his will, for the praise of the glory of his grace that he granted us in the beloved. In him we have redemption by his blood, the forgiveness of transgressions, in accord with the riches of his grace that he lavished upon us. In all wisdom and insight, he has made known to us the mystery of his will in accord with his favor that he set forth in him as a plan for the fullness of times, to sum up all things in Christ, in heaven and on earth.
Blessed in Christ with every spiritual blessing. Chosen before the foundation of the world to be holy and without blemish. Destined for adoption to himself.
The opening of Ephesians gives us God’s amazing purpose for us and invites us to become one with him through Christ.
All we need to do is accept the invitation – and God has given us everything we need in order to do just that.
Creo en Dios! 