Lavished

"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, 

who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ,

just 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 to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to himself, 

according to the kind intention of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace,

which He freely bestowed on 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, He made known to us the mystery of His will,

according to His kind intention which He purposed in Him."

(Ephesians 1:4-9)

Our pastor challenged us this morning to ask ourselves the following question:  

Who am I?

He spoke about how our identity is directly linked to our destiny. How we have been chosen ... adopted ... blessed. That long before creation, God chose us. He sent Jesus as a means of adopting us as sons and daughters into His family. And through Jesus, we have been blessed with everything for a life of godliness. But it doesn't end there.

1 Peter 2:9 says: "But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God's own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into marvelous light." 

We have been chosen, adopted and blessed to make the glories of the King known. These words hit home with me: Our identity is to make known God's Identity!

I left being so overwhelmed by His grace. So thankful to Jesus for choosing me, adopting me, and for blessing me. I left praising Him that I am not who I used to be. Amen and glory to God. I left desiring more than anything ... to be known by my love for Him ... to be identified by Him. 

Too good to not share. 

Praising God this evening for the riches of His grace ... That have been totally and completely lavished upon me.

And because of that ... I can confidently answer the question posed by my pastor this morning.  This is who I am:

I am Chosen. I am Adopted. And I am Blessed.