It Was All Given
Day 5 — Who Are You — REALLY?: Ephesians 1:3–14
Scripture
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. — Ephesians 1:3
Reflection
Five days ago you didn’t have a word for where you live. Now you have four: in Christ, chosen, redeemed, sealed. Sit with them a moment, and notice the one thing they share — not one of them was yours to orchestrate.
The Father chose you before the world had a day on its calendar. The Son redeemed you at a price paid in full, past all counting. The Spirit sealed you with himself, a first installment on everything still coming. Three movements, and you were the recipient of every one. By the time you had a say, it was already done.
Most of what you carry through a week is what you have to keep up. This was the opposite — all done to you and for you, holding steady whether the day is good or bad. It was all given.
And Paul can’t get through describing it without stopping to praise. The same note sounds three times in his sentence, once at the close of each movement: to the praise of his glorious grace, then for the praise of his glory, then to the praise of his glory. He names what the Father did, and praises. What the Son did, and praises. What the Spirit did, and praises. The gift and the praise arrive in the same breath.
So today, don’t work at this. There’s nothing to build, nothing to keep up, nothing to prove—only a gift already given, and a Giver worth praising and thanking.
Practices
There’s no assignment today. Take one of these, or none.
Be still. Five minutes, no agenda. Not to feel anything in particular — just stop keeping the plates spinning, and let it be true that you are not responsible for any of it.
Read it whole. Ephesians 1:3–14 is one unbroken sentence in the original; Paul never stops for breath. Read it out loud that way, start to finish, and let it run.
Worship. Put on something that moves you and don’t analyze it. Let someone else’s song carry the praise when you don’t have words for it yourself.
Say thank you. Three short lines — one to the Father, one to the Son, one to the Spirit. Not eloquent. Just named.
Prayer
Father, I spend so much of my life keeping things up that I nearly missed a whole week of gifts I only had to receive.
You chose me before there was anything to choose. Your Son bought me back and left nothing owing. Your Spirit moved in and stayed, the first taste of everything you’ve promised. I did none of it. I couldn’t have.
I don’t have a payment for this, and I’m beginning to understand you never wanted one. So let me do the only thing that fits. Thank you. For all of it — given, and given freely, to the praise of your glory.
Amen.
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© Steve Peschke / This Is The Way