Have you ever had a moment when you realized you were not wanted? Uninvited to the dinner party or the girl’s trip? Not included in the conversation or the group chat? Not picked for the sports team? Not valued by someone who was important to you? It’s a terrible, soul-crushing feeling that leaves deep uncertainty and heartache.
We all desire relationships in which we are accepted, valued, and wanted. We desperately long for this affirmation from our peers, families, or spouses – but rarely do we experience the deep sense of being both truly known and truly valued.
The Apostle Paul wrote this letter to the church in Ephesus, and the opening chapter is a beautiful statement about God’s love for his people, who are of great value to him. God’s people are accepted and showered with many blessings; they are no longer outcasts or second-class citizens in the kingdom of God.
The list of spiritual riches God has bestowed on his people in 1:3-14 include:
God blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms.
God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes.
God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family.
God poured out his glorious grace on us, He is so rich in kindness and grace.
God purchased our freedom with the blood of his Son and forgave our sins.
God has showered his kindness on us, along with all wisdom and understanding.
God has revealed to us his mysterious will regarding Christ
God gave us an inheritance, for he chose us in advance, and he makes everything work out according to his plan.
God identified you as his own by giving you the Holy Spirit, who is God’s guarantee that he will give us the inheritance he promised and that he has purchased us to be his own people.
Which of these spiritual blessings is the most significant to you today? Did you know how much God values you? What does it feel like when you know you are loved and valued?