Truth

Ukrainian: Reserve Dzhanhulskyy shear Coast Photo by Balkhovitin

Good morning, beloved,

Day 3 begins..school has begun. Why do I always seem to be the one who learns the most? I always have a picture of how the day should progress, when each subject should begin and end (because no child requires aid), that we are done at the golden hour of noon. These are my thoughts! Rather, what I know (not just think), the actual day looks something like this: breakfast plans take longer than expected, phone calls, sleepy kids, getting the place tidied up ( I have this crazy notion that we should see the counters), laundry, dishes and all of a sudden it is *gasp* 10am. Then I think of the person who told me they would start at 8am. Or their kids got themselves started at 8am. What have I just done? Compared. Contrasted. I have fallen short. I’m a failure. This is the train wreck of my mind.

I know, I know the Lord is killing this perfectionism, the people pleasing sludge in me. What if I start at 10am? Is it the end of the world? And what if I do give almost an hour to the study of the Kings and Prophets? Blessing. My day does not have to look like every other person’s day.  In the first chapter of Ephesians, I’ve  separated the verses into four categories suggested by the book, Glorious Grace by Katie Orr and Lara Williams.

TRUTHS about God the Father:

• God ·had already decided to make us his own children [L predestined us for adoption] through Jesus Christ.
• That (the adoption) was what he wanted and what pleased him, 6 and it brings praise to God because of his ·wonderful[glorious] grace.
• How rich is [or This redemption reveals the wealth of; L …according to the riches of] God’s grace, 8 which he has ·given to us so fully and freely [lavished on us].
• With ·full [all] wisdom and understanding
•  God let us know ·his secret purpose [or the mystery of his will; C a “mystery” in Scripture is something God had not previously disclosed].
• This was what ·God wanted[pleased him], and he ·planned to do it [or set it forth; publicly revealed it] through Christ.His goal was to carry out his plan, ·when the right time came [or at the time of fulfillment; L in the fullness of the times], that all things in heaven and on earth would be ·joined together [unified; or summed up;or renewed] in Christ as the head.
• from the very beginning God had decided this [L having been predestined] in keeping with his plan. And he is the One who ·makes everything agree [or accomplishes everything in accord] with what he decides and wants.
• And in Christ, God put his special mark of ownership on you by giving you [L …having been sealed with] the Holy Spirit that he had promised.

TRUTHS about Jesus Christ the Son:

•  In Christ, God has given us every spiritual blessing in the heavenly ·world [realms; places]. 
• in Christ, he chose us before the ·world was made [L foundation of the world] so that we would be his holy people
•  In ·Christ [L him] we ·are set free [have been redeemed/purchased] by ·the blood of his death [L his blood; C blood signifies his sacrificial death],
•  In Christ we ·were chosen to be God’s people [have received/were given our part of an inheritance],
• And in Christ, God put his special mark of ownership on you by giving you [L …having been sealed with] the Holy Spirit that he had promised.

TRUTHS about the Holy Spirit:

• That Holy Spirit is the ·guarantee[down payment; deposit] ·that we will receive what God promised for his people [L of our inheritance]until ·God gives full freedom to those who are his [or we acquire possession of it; L the redemption of the possession; v. 7]—to bring praise to God’s glory.

TRUTHS about me as a follower of Christ:

•  In ·Christ [L him] we ·are set free [have been redeemed/purchased] by ·the blood of his death [L his blood; C blood signifies his sacrificial death],
• so we have forgiveness of sins.
• How rich is [or This redemption reveals the wealth of; L …according to the riches of] God’s grace, 8 which he has ·given to us so fully and freely [lavished on us].
•  We are the first people who hoped in ·Christ [the Messiah]
• we were chosen so that we would bring praise to God’s glory.
• When you heard the ·true teaching [message/word of truth]—the ·Good News about [Gospel of] your salvation—you believed in Christ.
• And in Christ, God put his special mark of ownership on you by giving you [L …having been sealed with] the Holy Spirit that he had promised.

Sometimes it just rocks to remember all we have in and through Christ. To recall all the ways, we are blessed. And at the end of the day, it matters little if school didn’t start on time. Or I still have Mt. Laundry. Or clean clothes cover the chair. We got school done. It may have been five pm.

Remember the truth. Hold tight.

Pray on. Pray on.