Plan for the Ordinary

One of the first Bible verses to impact my life was the familiar words in Jeremiah 29:11. "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm to, plans to give you hope and a future." I received these words during a weekend retreat at church. These words still speak to me whenever I am in the midst of change in my life.

The comfort from believing a greater plan exists and I am not in charge of that plan, enables me to sleep better each night. I enjoy peace that's gained from the knowledge my daily life is important and mapped out for me. I can drop off to sleep at night knowing I will wake up - either in my bed or in eternity; and I am fine with either one.

"Long before we first heard of Christ and got our hopes up, he had his eye on us..." (Ephesians 1:11 MSG)

I remember the day my husband went to see his doctor, a Christian man, following the terminal diagnosis. The doctor greeted Dave by saying, "There is good news and good news. Either you will get well, or you will see Jesus." What a wonderful way to view the situation. No fear in death or in sleep.

God knew what he was doing from the beginning. He decided from the outset to shape the lives of those who love him along the same lines as the life of his Son. (Romans 8:29 MSG)

There is power in living each day doing ordinary things knowing these everyday practices are part of God's plan for us. These common place things we do each day: brushing teeth, drinking tea, waiting in traffic, working hard, etc., are ways we Praise and Worship God.

Ephesians 1:11-14

Signed, Sealed and Delivered!

Ephesians 1:13-14 (NIV) 
Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession--to the praise of his glory. 

Ephesians 1:13 (MSG)
It's in Christ that you, once you heard the truth and believed it (this Message of your salvation), found yourselves home free—signed, sealed, and delivered by the Holy Spirit. 

This idea of being marked, or sealed, goes back to the days when something was sealed indicating an official mark of identification, like a letter, contract or other important document. In the ancient world, a seal indicated ownership and protection. The notion of sealing in this context is related to the Day of Judgment: Sealed believers will be kept for their ultimate inheritance—redemption at the end of the age.

Daniel 6:17 (NIV)
 A stone was brought and placed over the mouth of the den, and the king sealed it with his own signet ring and with the rings of his nobles, so that Daniel's situation might not be changed.

The gift of the Holy Spirit not only empowers believers to live holy lives (Eph 3:16), but also serves as a guarantee and reminder that God will one day fully complete His work in believers. When the Holy Spirit seals believers, He marks them as God’s divine possessions, who from that moment on entirely and eternally belong to Him, The Spirit’s seal declares the transaction of salvation as divinely official and final.

I particularly like the Message Bible version of verse 13. To think, after all the struggles and battles of life, once we finally recognize and embrace Jesus as our Savior - The Salvation of the world, we are signed, sealed, and delivered. Sounds pretty good, doesn't it?


 Ephesians 1:11-14