David Bahn – Reflections

Ephesians 1:11-14

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.

Everyone has a center of their universe. For some it is fun and excitement: all things in life revolve around being able to experience the most thrilling and enjoyable things life has to offer. For others it is children or grandchildren. For others it is travel. Others orient their life around sports. Reality is, however, these have no power or substance to hold all things together. The wheels of life will soon wobble off balance to the point of catastrophic failure.

Our eternal inheritance, our hope, the deep, profound, and substantive truth, the focus of our faith, the source of wisdom, all power, the richness of glory, the ultimate dominion, and the fullness of all things are all in Christ Jesus. If he is not the center of your universe, you are bound for destruction.

Look again, however, at the profound blessings and benefits that come to us in Jesus! Those blessings are there: in him. While we may foolishly choose to center our lives around lesser things, Jesus Christ stands at the center of all things. When we turn back to him, he receives us, welcomes us, forgives us, and blesses us with his eternal favor.

We can foolishly ignore Jesus, giving him a wink of attention on occasion – making him some sort of spiritual hobby. But the fullness of life is found in him 24/7. He is the center of the universe. Is he at the center of your life?

Ephesians 1:15-22
¹⁵ For this reason, because I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints, ¹⁶ I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers, ¹⁷ that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, ¹⁸ having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, ¹⁹ and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might ²⁰ that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, ²¹ far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. ²² And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, ²³ which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.