What is God Like?


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 Ephesians 1:3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. 4 For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love 5 he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— 6 to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. 7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace 8 that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and understanding, 9 he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, 10 to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment—to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ.

 Paul starts his letter to the church in Ephesus.  Ephesus was Paul's home for three years.  It was located on a strategic trade route and attracted many visitors and had a high culture. It was a leading center of the Roman empire.  Most commentators think Paul is in prison when he writes this letter.  Unlike Paul's letter to the Galatians, his letter to the church at Ephesus didn't focus on one particular issue, but was a letter applicable to all the churches in this area of Asia Minor.   Ephesians starts with the beautiful verses above which highlight how God has chosen us and blessed us with every spiritual blessing in Christ. 

 What strikes me in this passage is God's overarching purpose in creating us was to show us his great love and desire to share with us all things.  Look at the some of the ways Paul writes about this. 

 1. God chose us before the Creation of the world.  
2. In love he predestined us and adopted us.
3. In accordance with his pleasure and will. 
4. The riches of God's grace lavished upon us in Christ. 
5. He made known the mystery of his will, according to His good pleasure. 

 Do you see in these verses a stingy, miserly and judgmental God?  No, you see a God who delights in the crown of His creation, you and me.  You see a God who doesn't withhold goodness and grace but freely lavishes on those he loves. God has a plan and purpose for our lives and has set us apart to be holy and special.  

 I wish more people in the world saw this side of God.  Maybe they might be more open to learning about His Son.  Maybe if our churches talked more about this kind of God, more people might want to listen.  Maybe if more young people developed their identity around this kind of God who loves them and adopts them as their own, there would be less suicide.  This is the God we need to proclaim and live our lives for.  Why settle for any lesser version of God?

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