Today you should read: Ephesians 1:7-14
Man, what a passage! There is so much richness in this passage it is hard to narrow down what to talk about. You might know, but a loose structure of the book of Ephesians is that the author, Paul, spends chapters 1-3 focusing a lot on the doctrine of the gospel, and chapters 4-6 showing how the doctrine of the gospel applies in everyday life. This isn’t necessarily an absolute, but it can be a helpful way to think about the book.
Our passage today talks a lot about what Jesus has done for us through the cross. If I had to summarize our verses today, I would say:
Salvation is not about you—God saves us for His glory and our good.
We have done nothing to earn our salvation. Jonathan Edwards puts it well: “You contribute nothing to your salvation except the sin that made it necessary.” At the same time, this passage does not absolve us of responsibility, saying in verse 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…” (ESV) God’s will and ways are mysterious!
It should bring us great joy to know that God loves us, that he lavishes his grace upon us, that he has chosen us! This passage should encourage us to see that our identity is more tied to being redeemed and forgiven, when we are in Christ, than any job or relationship.
By: Graham Withers — Pastoral Ministry Apprentice
JumpstartCPC.com 
Great passage to share with someone asking “what is the meaning of life” type questions. Thanks Graham!
That Jonathan Edwards quote is a real kick in the teeth! It increases my gratitude to think on the fact that Jesus willingly cleaned up the mess I made. Thanks Graham!
I’m so moved by God’s love and grace today!
This was humbling for me this morning. How easy and natural it is to focus on myself and what God has done for me out of his love for me. Me, me, me! And then I read, “He did this so we would bring Him glory and praise.” It really is all about God. He did save me out of a love for his people but I am to focus on Him and his glory and learn to take the focus off me. Thanks Graham!
Verse 14 really stuck out to me this morning.
“The Spirit is God’s guarantee that he will give us the inheritance he promised and that he has purchased us to be his own people. He did this so we would praise and glorify him.”
How gracious God is to give us His Spirit! My response is simple: praise and glorify Him.
I like the NLT translation of this passage. It lays it out pretty clearly what the mysterious will of God is. “The plan is:” Bring everything in heaven and on earth together under Christ’s authority. 😳