“Grace”…“which He lavished upon us..."

 

Ephesians 1:8 ESV

The word "lavished" is derived from the Greek word "perisseuo," which means to be abundantly furnished, possessing a full sufficiency, or over and above. This amazing word tells us that God has provided us with complete sufficiency in Christ Jesus from before the creation of the world. It is astonishing to consider how God had planned all of this beforehand. The verse in (Colossians 3:11b) states that "…Christ is all, and in all." This means that he is everything and in everything, in the past, present, and future. Although it may be difficult to comprehend, it is the truth.

Have you ever wondered why some people are oblivious to the presence of Christ, when He is present in everything and everyone? The answer is simple - many are not taking the time to listen and perceive Him. God's majesty is evident in the snow-capped mountain peaks and the mighty ocean waves, which constantly remind us of His glory. As human beings, we are born with a deep-seated desire to connect with our Creator. Unfortunately, this desire can be clouded by our emotional attachments to church, family, and others who may not always guide us towards Christ, but instead to laws, rules, and ordinances. To find true fulfillment in life, we must be willing to examine our beliefs and seek guidance directly from the source. Only then can we truly connect with our Creator and experience the peace and joy that come from a life lived in harmony with His will.

I have heard the thought expressed about what more the heavenly Father could do to show us His love? The answer is right here in this passage, where we learn that Christ lavishes His grace upon us. It's like being submerged in a pool of water, where the water completely covers us from head to toe. This water is a perfect analogy for Christ's grace, which encompasses us and never stops filling us and surrounding us. As long as we are willing to perceive it, we are fully clothed or immersed in His grace. What an amazing gift!

Grace is a powerful force that offers us numerous benefits. One of the greatest benefits is wisdom. In fact, the Bible refers to Christ as "…the wisdom of God" (1 Corinthians 1:24). When we receive grace, we gain an awareness of the Father’s divine purpose and will. We become enlightened and gain a deeper understanding of life. Receiving grace is not a one-time event, but a continuous process that involves appropriating God's love and His desire to accept us just as we are. Grace is all-encompassing and all-sufficient, because grace is Christ Jesus himself, who is everything and has given us everything we need.

Now considering what the "mystery of His will" is? According to (Colossians 1:27b), “this mystery is Christ in you, the hope of glory." This revelation was hidden for centuries but has now been disclosed to God's sons and daughters. It is the Father's will for all of us to be reconciled to Him through Christ Jesus, who sacrificed Himself for our sins. As co-regents with Jesus, that makes us a kingdom of priests, our purpose is to serve our loving heavenly Father and allow Christ to reign in and through our mortal bodies, being obedient as he guides us from day to day to follow Him. Let us also not forget our mission to bring others so that they may know the love of the Father as well. Embrace His will and live a life filled with hope, love, and purpose.

We have discussed God’s purpose for our lives and what our role is in His master plan, but what about our purpose?

In my experience many young Christians ask the age-old question, "What is my purpose?" The answer is very simple to answer. As a believer, our purpose is to allow Christ to manifest Himself not only in us but also in our fellow brothers and sisters. In other words, our first calling is for Christ to be fully developed in us so that He may reign supreme in our lives and those we interact with. So as believers, we are called to engage with our brothers and sisters and recognize the presence of Christ in their lives as well as ours. By coming together as a community of believers, we allow Christ Jesus to reign supreme in our lives individually and corporately. It is a known fact that our faith and devotion to Him becomes even stronger when we gather in unity.

When Jesus was on Earth, He was very intentional about His mission and was determined to accomplish it. He didn't let anyone or anything stop Him from fulfilling His purpose. As believers, we should also be intentional about coming together and recognizing Christ's presence in each other's lives and strengthening our faith as a community of believers. This approach makes evangelism easier and less intimidating. It should always be the love of Christ that motivates and compels us to be His witnesses, because of the lavishness of His grace upon us!

Stephen Barnett