Ephesians 1.1-6 (6)
Pray Psalm 34.1-3.
I will bless the LORD at all times;
His praise shall continually be in my mouth.
My soul shall make its boast in the LORD;
The humble shall hear of it and be glad.
Oh, magnify the LORD with me,
And let us exalt His name together.
Sing Psalm 34.1-3.
(Alleluia [Lowe]: Mighty God, While Angels Bless You)
I will bless the LORD at all times; I shall praise Him evermore!
My soul makes its boast in Jesus—Him we gladly all adore!
Refrain v. 3
Magnify the Name of Jesus! Let us lift His Name in praise!
Read Ephesians 1.1-6; meditate on verse 6.
Think on “accepted”. What affections does that cause to stir within you? What is grace, and what makes it glorious? How does this grace relate to my times of need?
Preparation
1. How are we made acceptable to God?
2. How should we respond?
Meditation
Here is the end for which we have been chosen, predestined, and adopted into the household of God: That we might join the chorus of heavenly hosts and earthly saints and apostles who praise the glory of God’s grace. We are saved by God’s grace, and so He is to be praised Who glorifies Himself in saving worms like us.
We are accepted by God! Do we even fathom the enormity of this privilege? We show up, like Esther before Ahasuerus, expecting to be scorned, cast out, and sent away, for we see that in ourselves we have nothing with which to commend us to God. And yet we are accepted because He sees us as His bride, His chosen and redeemed ones. And He accepts us into the joy He has in Himself, to grant, according to His grace, whatever we seek as we delight in and praise Him and His glory.
And He delights in our praises. Indeed, the Lord inhabits the praises of His chosen and adopted saints (Ps. 22.3). The more we praise Him for His grace and glory, the more we know His Presence with us. The more of His Presence we are aware of, the more we walk as He walked (1 Jn. 2.1-6).
And this is only possible because of Jesus, God’s beloved Son and our beloved Redeemer. Magnify the Name of Jesus! Lift His Name in praise! Let us fill our world with daily and continuous praise to Jesus, Who has made us acceptable to God in Himself!
Treasure Old and New: Matthew 13.52; Psalm 119.162.“…to the praise of the glory
of His grace by which
He made us accepted
in the Beloved” (Eph. 1.6).
God the Father is perfect.
Jesus the Son is perfect.
The Holy Spirit is perfect.
And yet, in His Sovereign perfection, grace, and mercy, He has deemed the naturally unacceptable, now to be acceptable, and has given us His approval. A truth so amazing, and only possible, because Jesus made us acceptable by His perfect life, His suffering, death, and resurrection.
All the way back in the very beginning, when Adam and Eve sinned, this plan for eventual acceptance was put in place (Gen. 3.15).
Moses wrote God’s words to him about it: “I will raise up for them a Prophet like you from among their brethren, and will put My words in His mouth, and He shall speak to them all that I command Him. And it shall be that whoever will not hear My words, which He speaks in My Name, I will require it of him” (Deut. 18.18, 19). His plan for salvation.
Isaiah wrote about it: “But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed” (Is. 53.5). His plan for forgiveness.
Jeremiah wrote about it: “‘Behold, the days are coming,’ says the LORD, ‘that I will raise to David a Branch of righteousness; a King shall reign and prosper, and execute judgment and righteousness in the earth. In His days Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell safely; now this is His Name by which He will be called:
THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS’” (Jer. 23.5, 6). His plan for redemption.
Micah wrote about it: “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are little among the thousands of Judah,
yet out of you shall come forth to Me The One to be Ruler in Israel, Whose goings forth are from of old, from everlasting” (Mic. 5.2). His plan for a Savior.
All these, and many more, wrote about it—the pending acceptance of God’s people through the work of Jesus, The Beloved. And now the work has been done. “It is finished” (Jn. 19.30).
“Magnify the Name of Jesus,
Lift His Name in praise,
Fill your world with daily and continuous praise to Jesus,
Who has made us acceptable to God in Himself!”
Reflection
1. How is it that we are acceptable to God because of Jesus?
2. How do you experience being acceptable to God? Do you respond as Paul suggests?
3. Whom will you encourage today by reminding them that Jesus has made them acceptable to God?
The material cause both of eternal election, and of the love which is now revealed, is Christ, the Beloved. This name is given, to remind us that by him the love of God is communicated to us. John Calvin (1509-1564), Commentary on Ephesians 1.6
Pray Psalm 34.4-9.
Praise God for hearing prayer, for sending Jesus for your salvation, and for Jesus, Who is with you always. Commit the details of your day to Him.
Sing 34.4-9.
(Alleluia [Lowe]: Mighty God, While Angels Bless You)
When I sought the LORD, He answered and from fear delivered me.
Those who look to Him are radiant; shamed their face shall never be.
Refrain v. 3
Magnify the Name of Jesus! Let us lift His Name in praise!
When I cried to God, He heard me, and from trouble rescued me.
’Round their camp His angel lingers that they may delivered be.
Refrain
Taste and see how good is Jesus; blessed are all who in Him hide.
None shall lack for any blessing who in Christ will e’er confide.
Refrain
T. M. and Susie Moore
If you have found this meditation helpful, take a moment and give thanks to God. Then share what you learned with a friend. This is how the grace of God spreads (2 Cor. 4.15).
Other columns of interest this week: Our ReVision series on “The Kingdom Economy” turns to consider the unique “currency” of the divine economy. In our Read Moore podcast this week, we begin a new series of readings from our book, Such a Great Salvation. Our Crosfigell series on Brendan of Clonfert finds him heading back to Ireland, confused and disappointed—but faithful. Click hereto see all the other columns and writers available to you.
And please prayerfully consider supporting The Fellowship of Ailbe with your prayers and gifts. You can contribute online, via PayPal or Anedot, or by sending a gift to The Fellowship of Ailbe, P. O. Box 8213, Essex, VT 05451.
Except as indicated, all Scriptures are taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. For sources of all quotations, see the weekly PDF of this study. All psalms for singing are from The Ailbe Psalter.
