365 Days with God - Day 116: Tangible Blessings

I'm giving myself a challenge. Read the Bible each day for a whole year, following the ESV Study Guide 1-year plan. Each day, I will post whatever God has revealed to me in His Word, and how it is changing me. A friend of mine once said that nothing has changed her life as much as reading the bible each day - and I'm excited for how this will change me. Join me on an adventure into the heart of God - and day by day, we can learn more about who He is and what that means to us!

- Andy Catts

Day 116, April 15, 2014

Readings: Psalm 116, Leviticus 22:17-33, Isaiah 28, Ephesians 1

What does God have to offer me?

True, that may sound like a pretty selfish question. Honestly, it's quite bold to even ask it. God certainly doesn't owe us anything. But we still ask. And by asking the question, we often receive answers like "happiness, eternal life, prosperity, good marriage, family, morals" and similar things.

But He offers so much more.

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 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. (Ephesians 1:3-11)

So what do we have?

Adoption as sons. We are orphans who have been given a home. We were without a father, without a place to call our own. Through Jesus, we have been adopted into God's family.

Redemption & Grace. We are united with God through Jesus, despite our sins and trespasses. We do not deserve to be united with something so clean, blameless and pure as a Holy God. But He made a way. He brought us to him. He loved us enough to give the most precious thing He had so that we could be with Him.

Inheritance. We have been given a promise of God's inheritance as sons. Not only are we adopted, but we are given an inheritance as well! We're not just provided for, we are given great gifts by an infinite and generous God.

This is our hope, this is our God! These are our spiritual blessings, blessings we cannot obtain through our own good works or efforts.