Ephesians Chapter 2

There are many verses that talk about what Christ has done for those He has saved.  These verses really speak to me clearly, and help put my heart and soul where it needs to be.

I would like to focus on verses 1-9. 

The more I think about what these verses really mean, the more speechless I become. I think God intends for us to be that way, and far too often, we shoot back our "intelligent" response based on logic, and earthly wisdom all laced with fact as we see it.  God is unsearchable and unfathomable (Rom 11:33-34), and therefore my response should be one of speechlessness. 

When I confront others about sports, insurance, investments, etc, I come with a logical argument all worked out, and feel as though I have no weak spots in my argument.  I counter think all my points, and seek to prove inside and out whatever it is that I seek to debate and thus, prove.  When someone thinks this way, and approaches God, he is speechless for he doesn't know what to say.  God surrounds him in splendor and majesty and blows his mind and his speech away from him.  God is that powerful and that awesome.  The day that I learn how powerful He really is, I won't be here anymore.  When I get there, I will be speechless.

In preparation for this meeting, God gave us Ephesians chapter 2.

God says in verse one "And you were dead in your trespasses and sins, in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience.  Among them we too all formerly lived in the lusts of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest.  But God,"

I have to stop here.  What a horrible, disgusting sin filled creature I was.  I was dead!  When things are dead, they can't come to life right?  Can anything that is dead change into something that is better?  Can anything that is dead move?  Can anything that is dead decide anything for itself?  Don't dead things get buried and/or thrown out?  I formerly walked according to the course of this world?  According to the prince of the power of the air?  Isn't that Satan?  I walked like a worldly person just like Satan would?  Isn't that the archrival, nemesis of God?  I was on Satan's side?  It was Satan and me versus God? I pleased myself in all I did, didn't bother with anything else.  Satan was my buddy, companion, co-conspirator, and hero.  I liked it, and knew nothing else.  What a wretched condition!

Then comes verse 4.  But God......

Let me just say that no matter what is it that you are involved in, tied to, linked to, married to, filled with sin in, when God purposes to intervene, nothing in the previous paragraph matters anymore.  Even though I was his enemy in league with His most disloyal former friend-Satan- God tore me away from Satan while I clasped on to Satan as long as I could, and held on to him while God took me from my comfort.

But God.  Perhaps the best part of this passage.  Nothing else matters but God.

"But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved).  and raised up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,

Stop.

God stopped Satan dead in his tracks, and pulled me away from Satan's clasp.  I was dead the entire time towards God, and had no desire to be pulled to Him.  He made me alive. 

What? 

He turned me from something dead to something that is alive.  How did this happen?  Everything that has died on my hobby farm here in Lawton, even though many times I wanted life to come back, there was nothing I could do to impart life from my own power to the life of the being.  I am powerless regarding the life of things I own, and according to Ephesians, I am powerless over my own life.  It is God who gives life and takes it away.   

Then, after this (as if this isn't amazing enough, and overly loving and kind), he seats me with him in the heavenly places?  If He gave me life, shouldn't it be enough to have me sit in the bleacher seats?  Maybe be a servant who takes the trash out, but at least I'm alive, and can be thankful that he brought me there?  No.  Not enough for my God.  He lays out His best for me, and it is not that I did anything to deserve it according to Ephesians.  He does all this in response to my being dead, not my coming to Him first.

To continue: verse 7:  So that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness towards us in Christ Jesus.  For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God, not as a result of works, so that no one may boast."

Why did He do this?  So that in the ages to come, He would do something.  In my words it says, so that forever and ever and ever God could display His never ending, all encompassing, rich in love grace toward me because of what Christ Jesus His Son did on the cross for me.  Because of this grace, I was saved.  It wasn't because I responded to Him first.  He snatched me from the pits of hell as I walked and skipped happily with Satan down to the firey furnace.  I was so dead to Christ that I never noticed the fire, the heat, the screaming or my hair being singed.  God did all this for me, and planned in from the beginning of the world.  Actually, before the beginning of the world (Rev 13:8). 

In summary:  God's grace towards me is never ending.  He saved me from hell and Satan when I didn't even know anything about God.  He treats me like His only Son who died for me, and lets me sit with Him in glory so that He can show me how complete His grace is.  If not for God intercepting me and taking me from Satan, I would have continued to walk with Satan happily to hell and torment forever.

Father, you amaze me with what you tell me.  I don't understand how complete your grace is.  I don't feel deserving, but I long to accept everything You have for me now and forever.  I long to be with You so I can know everything about You and worship You face to face.  I feel as Moses did so long ago.  Show me Your glory.  Let me bask in Your glory, and live a life apart from You now as if I had seen Your face and lived.