JUNE 3
NO LONGER STRANGERS
Ephesians 2:19-22
19 So then you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God, 20 being built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the chief cornerstone; 21 in whom the whole building, fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord; 22 in whom you also are built together for a habitation of God in the Spirit. (WEB)
In today's Bible reading, the Apostle Paul shares his own testimony of how he came to know Christ powerfully. For those unfamiliar with the story, he was one of the top religious leaders of his day, directly opposing the gospel. It wasn't until he had a vision of Jesus that his life was turned around, and he became one of the greatest champions of the gospel the world has ever known.
I chose this Scripture for today's reading because I appreciate how Paul described Papa God's plan and purpose for him. In my paraphrase, he essentially states that God (the Father) was pleased to consecrate him from the womb, so that through His grace, Paul would become a revelation of the Son of God on earth.
I believe the plan that God had for Paul is the same plan and purpose that our heavenly Father has for each one of us, too. He separated and consecrated all of us in our mother's womb to be part of His family. It has been and will continue to be His delight to reveal His Son in us. The more that we behold the Lord's face and are transformed from glory to glory, the more we will become a greater revelation of Jesus to a world that desperately needs to see Him.
My prayer today is that each one of us would know that our Father has chosen us for such a high calling. We are not slaves trying to appease a demanding taskmaster, but sons and daughters in whom our Papa absolutely delights in seeing Jesus revealed in and through us. May we all have a deeper understanding of this high calling. We are called to be an increasing revelation of the Son of God on earth as we learn to be sons and daughters of the Most High ourselves.
Romans 8:29
29 For whom he foreknew, he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. (WEB)
19 So then you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God, 20 being built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the chief cornerstone; 21 in whom the whole building, fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord; 22 in whom you also are built together for a habitation of God in the Spirit. (WEB)
In today's Bible reading, the Apostle Paul shares his own testimony of how he came to know Christ powerfully. For those unfamiliar with the story, he was one of the top religious leaders of his day, directly opposing the gospel. It wasn't until he had a vision of Jesus that his life was turned around, and he became one of the greatest champions of the gospel the world has ever known.
I chose this Scripture for today's reading because I appreciate how Paul described Papa God's plan and purpose for him. In my paraphrase, he essentially states that God (the Father) was pleased to consecrate him from the womb, so that through His grace, Paul would become a revelation of the Son of God on earth.
I believe the plan that God had for Paul is the same plan and purpose that our heavenly Father has for each one of us, too. He separated and consecrated all of us in our mother's womb to be part of His family. It has been and will continue to be His delight to reveal His Son in us. The more that we behold the Lord's face and are transformed from glory to glory, the more we will become a greater revelation of Jesus to a world that desperately needs to see Him.
My prayer today is that each one of us would know that our Father has chosen us for such a high calling. We are not slaves trying to appease a demanding taskmaster, but sons and daughters in whom our Papa absolutely delights in seeing Jesus revealed in and through us. May we all have a deeper understanding of this high calling. We are called to be an increasing revelation of the Son of God on earth as we learn to be sons and daughters of the Most High ourselves.
Romans 8:29
29 For whom he foreknew, he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. (WEB)