My Abba **LOVES** me! Reflections on Ephesians 1
I used to think intimacy with the Father was just a necessary part of mission. It was a requirement to do evangelism and ministry well. But over the past two years things have become very different. I have learned something that saved my life--that I cannot devote myself solely to intimacy with God or to missions... I must devote myself whole-heartedly to both. They are equally central to my faith, my relationship with my Father. They cannot exist well independently of each other.
For some, intimacy with the Father comes easily--they are passionate about the inward journey and excited to pursue personal spiritual life. For others missions is natural, exciting, life-giving, and the center of faith. Even last year I would have fallen into the latter category. I was passionate about sharing the Gospel and wanted everyone to know the Good News... but I didn't understand or value my need for intimacy with the Father. More importantly I didn't realize that true evangelism comes out of our own intimacy with God... most of all, my identity--my very identity--comes from intimacy with the Father.
Ephesians 1 tells me the truth: I need truth. I need balance to experience this truth.
God chose me--not begrudgingly but in love! (Eph 1:4)
God loves me with passion and without regret. He cannot love me more than He already does, and He refuses to love me any less! This is truth... if I really understand what it means that God CHOSE me in love it changes everything. Before the beginning of time, before anything was created, God looked through all the ages and pointed at me and said, "I want her! I don't care what she's done or where she's been... I don't care how much I have to do or give. I want her and I will give everything to get her." He chose me... not last to be chosen on the playground. Not because he needed one more to fill out the roster. Not out of pity or regret but because he WANTED me. He chose me because he wanted me.
God adopted me--I am not his servant or guest and I'm not expected to prove myself over and over. I became his daughter the moment I became a follower of Jesus. (Eph 1:5) This is great news to me as someone who constantly feels the need to prove myself, to earn my position, to fight to the top. But this is my new identity--it's WHO I am, not what I do. No longer should I fear that my admittance was a mistake... no longer should I live in fear that all I do will not be enough, that I will not hear "Well done...". God didn't adopt me for my performance abilities. That's not how His team works. God chose me--adopted me--because He wanted me. It wasn't an after-thought or a side-project. But before the beginning of the world He loved me with a relentless love given freely!
My Abba--my Daddy-- is very fond of me. He loves me and He loves to spend time with me. He's a good daddy with great gifts. When I was little, I was SO proud of my daddy and wanted so badly to make him proud of me. My dad was in the Air Force and we had this ritual that became precious. Many mornings I would wake up early when Dad was getting ready for work. His uniform shirt would hang from the dresser just low enough for me to reach. Dad would put his medals and pins into his shirt and hand me the little "frogs" that went on the back. I would painstakingly help him. I'm sure it took him much longer to get ready. Sometimes I would drop the "frogs" and he would have to look for them. I don't know how many times he was late for work just so I could be his little helper... just so he could spend time with me. Dad didn't need me to help him put his uniform together... but he wanted me.
This is how my Father feels about me... my Abba--my Daddy is very fond of me. He doesn't need me, but He wants me... He wants to have a relationship with me so close that I want to do what He does, be where He is, be involved in what He is involved in. But that requires intimacy, relationship, time, LOVE!
Maybe you're like me and you struggle to believe that all this great news is really for you... It's easy to believe it's for others, but they aren't you. That's a lie. When you heard the message of truth, when we heard the Gospel of salvation and believed it, we were marked. We were saved.
All of this is GREAT NEWS... that God loves me... and my work, my calling as an evangelist comes flowing out of this radical love. Intimacy with my Father is vital, radically important to my life.
For some, intimacy with the Father comes easily--they are passionate about the inward journey and excited to pursue personal spiritual life. For others missions is natural, exciting, life-giving, and the center of faith. Even last year I would have fallen into the latter category. I was passionate about sharing the Gospel and wanted everyone to know the Good News... but I didn't understand or value my need for intimacy with the Father. More importantly I didn't realize that true evangelism comes out of our own intimacy with God... most of all, my identity--my very identity--comes from intimacy with the Father.
Ephesians 1 tells me the truth: I need truth. I need balance to experience this truth.
God chose me--not begrudgingly but in love! (Eph 1:4)
God loves me with passion and without regret. He cannot love me more than He already does, and He refuses to love me any less! This is truth... if I really understand what it means that God CHOSE me in love it changes everything. Before the beginning of time, before anything was created, God looked through all the ages and pointed at me and said, "I want her! I don't care what she's done or where she's been... I don't care how much I have to do or give. I want her and I will give everything to get her." He chose me... not last to be chosen on the playground. Not because he needed one more to fill out the roster. Not out of pity or regret but because he WANTED me. He chose me because he wanted me.
God adopted me--I am not his servant or guest and I'm not expected to prove myself over and over. I became his daughter the moment I became a follower of Jesus. (Eph 1:5) This is great news to me as someone who constantly feels the need to prove myself, to earn my position, to fight to the top. But this is my new identity--it's WHO I am, not what I do. No longer should I fear that my admittance was a mistake... no longer should I live in fear that all I do will not be enough, that I will not hear "Well done...". God didn't adopt me for my performance abilities. That's not how His team works. God chose me--adopted me--because He wanted me. It wasn't an after-thought or a side-project. But before the beginning of the world He loved me with a relentless love given freely!
My Abba--my Daddy-- is very fond of me. He loves me and He loves to spend time with me. He's a good daddy with great gifts. When I was little, I was SO proud of my daddy and wanted so badly to make him proud of me. My dad was in the Air Force and we had this ritual that became precious. Many mornings I would wake up early when Dad was getting ready for work. His uniform shirt would hang from the dresser just low enough for me to reach. Dad would put his medals and pins into his shirt and hand me the little "frogs" that went on the back. I would painstakingly help him. I'm sure it took him much longer to get ready. Sometimes I would drop the "frogs" and he would have to look for them. I don't know how many times he was late for work just so I could be his little helper... just so he could spend time with me. Dad didn't need me to help him put his uniform together... but he wanted me.
This is how my Father feels about me... my Abba--my Daddy is very fond of me. He doesn't need me, but He wants me... He wants to have a relationship with me so close that I want to do what He does, be where He is, be involved in what He is involved in. But that requires intimacy, relationship, time, LOVE!
Maybe you're like me and you struggle to believe that all this great news is really for you... It's easy to believe it's for others, but they aren't you. That's a lie. When you heard the message of truth, when we heard the Gospel of salvation and believed it, we were marked. We were saved.
All of this is GREAT NEWS... that God loves me... and my work, my calling as an evangelist comes flowing out of this radical love. Intimacy with my Father is vital, radically important to my life.
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