I'm reading in the book of Ephesians right now, and this morning my eyes stopped on one word, the word BLESSED. I couldn't help but think that I hear and see this word all the time and yet, if someone were to walk up to me and say, "Hey you, define the word blessed for me," I probably couldn't do it. I'd most likely fumble through what I thought it meant or use examples of it in sentences that made sense to me, but the actual definition? Yeah, the brain was blank.
So I defaulted to something I've been doing lately. I've been trying to pick out a word as I read the Bible and not just assume I know what it means. So, being the inquisitive woman I am, I looked up the word blessed.
Holy, consecrated.
Ok, then I looked up consecrated, and you can see where this is going...
BLESSED: Holy, consecrated
HOLY: Specially recognized as or declared sacred by authority
CONSECRATED: To make or declare sacred, set apart with purpose
Yep, this is what I love about God's word. I hadn't barely gotten in a few sentences when things got deep.
All of these words have nothing to do with my own choosing, but they have everything to do with what God wanted to do with my life.
The word of God says we are BLESSED. God is the authority, he has given me special recognition, and he has declared me sacred and set apart for a purpose.
I personally think this is pretty awesome. Think about it, the God who does stuff like part the sea, raise people from the dead, and bring life where there is only death is the same God who decided to choose me, not as servant or slave, but as a daughter.
Ephesians tells us that he chose us to be adopted into the family of God through his son, Jesus. I like this. That means that in God's family you will never find an only child. It means God's house is a place where you are valued more for who and whose you are rather than what you can or should do. It means that the Father of the home has always had a plan and a purpose for his family and is committed to carrying it out. Pretty awesome stuff.
As I sat down later in the afternoon to think on this word blessed, I decided to go to the Wordle website and make a collage of words that have to do with being blessed and words that are found in the first fourteen verses of Ephesians. Up above is what came of that creative endeavor.
Three of the words that stood out to me were: Holy, Known, Made
God declares I am holy because he is holy and his family is a holy household.
God gently reminds me that I am known by him, he calls me by my name.
God declares that I am not an accident, but that I was made in my mother's womb by his very own hand and that as he made me he was purposeful in doing so.
See what reading a few verses in his word can do? My heart is encouraged. I'm so thankful that he nudged me to take the time today.
My friend, I have a challenge for you. Read the verses below slowly, but then take time to look at the picture of words at the top of this blog post. See what pops out at your heart and mind and then think on those things.
I pray he delights your heart as he did mine.
As I go, I won't say be blessed, but I'll say to you that YOU ARE BLESSED. He has declared it and God's words cannot be changed.
Aimee
Ephesians 1:1-14
English Standard Version (ESV)
1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God,
To the saints who are in Ephesus, and are faithful in Christ Jesus:
2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
3 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, 4 even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love 5 he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, 6 to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved. 7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, 8 which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight 9 making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ 10 as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.
11 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, 12 so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory. 13 In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, 14 who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.
