“…so that in the coming ages He might show the immeasurable riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.” Ephesians 2:7
Do you have favorite Bible study memories? Those times that marked you forever in your study of God’s Word? Those moments that froze in time, and when you recall them, it seems as if it were just yesterday that it happened? I have those moments. I have those memories, and I love revisiting them because they remind me of the places I’ve been with the Lord and the times of refreshing I’ve had in His presence.
One moment in particular that I want to share with you happened to me years ago when I was in my first women’s Bible study. I was one of the youngest ladies in the room, sitting among some incredible women of faith, excited to sit at their feet and glean wisdom from their lives. The first week of the study, the leader addressed us all with one simple challenge: to expect God. Short, sweet, and simple. When we open God’s Word, expect to meet with Him there. When we approach the throne of grace in prayer, expect God to be there and to hear you. Expect God. She had us open our Bibles to the very first page, the one that boasts the title “The Holy Bible”, and she had us write on it, “I expect you, Jesus.” It would serve as a gentle reminder to each one of us every time we opened His Word. Let us all adopt this practice together today and every day moving forward in our study of God’s Word: “I expect you, Jesus.”
Upon this foundation, we begin our study together today of Ephesians 2:7. Many of God’s promises to us in Scripture have already been realized and received. We looked at this yesterday in Ephesians 2:6. Still, there are other promises given to us in His Word that we wait for in eager anticipation and expectation. This is one of those promises. Part of the promise in Ephesians 2:7 has already materialized in our lives as believers. Upon salvation, we have been blessed with God’s grace and kindness. Still, in the coming ages, this very grace and kindness will be the evidence of our salvation when we finally see glory and are face to face with Jesus.
What does this mean? It means that salvation is for the blessing of believers, but even more so, it is for God’s glory, both now and in the ages to come. His choice to lavish the immeasurable riches of His grace and kindness upon us is fully realized not on this side of heaven, but on the other, and it will not just be those who are in Christ that will glorify Him for this gift, but the whole of heaven does and will glorify Him for what He has done in rescuing sinners from death and destruction.
Do you grasp the gravity of the riches of His grace? Can you fully comprehend the height, depth, width, and length of this gift? Because the reality of this is that all of heaven and earth will one day glorify God for this act of redemption through His Son Jesus Christ. ALL of heaven and earth. Not one created being will remain standing when every knees bows, and not one mouth will remain silent when every tongue confesses that Jesus Christ is Lord. Not one.
Take a moment and read Revelations 7:9-12. What scene is being described here? What is taking place in the heavenly realms? What is being ascribed to God? Write out these verses, and take a few minutes to reflect and meditate on these truths.
First, we can expect future blessing from God if we are in Christ.
Second, the blessing of our salvation is primarily for God’s glory and always will be.
Third, we have hope in knowing that one day, ALL will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord and ALL will bend the knee to the One and Only God of heaven and earth. One day, God will set all things right. One day.
So, we wait. We eagerly anticipate. We expect God. He is who He says He is in His Word, and He will do what He says He will do in His Word. Expect God today.
Leave a Reply