Lavished

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.

In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will, so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory. In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.

Ephesians 1:2-14

Precious God and Father of King Jesus,
You have blessed us in Christ
   With all that we are,
   All that we have,
   And all things belong to You.
Why then do we fear to give away
What cannot finally be kept?
We have bought into bondage,
Believing that freedom can be bought.
How many marvels of Your grace have we missed,
Busying ourselves after the mirage of success?
What precious things have we lost
in the allure of more and more?

O, let Your blessing linger in our hearts
And kindle a flame of gladness in giving.
You chose us in Christ before we could ever choose,
Lovingly purposed us to become Your children,
Graced us with grace upon grace,
Displaced our disgrace,
And lavished us in love.
As beneficiaries of far more than we
Could ever hope or imagine,
Make us into living celebrations
of Your awe evoking, stunning beauty.
Amen.