Super Benefits

        Sometimes we just go through life not knowing all that we have. A couple of years ago, our health insurance company sent out a little flyer at the beginning of the year announcing that we had a new benefit which was $50.00 worth of “over the counter” supplies from the drug store from aspirin to first aid kits. When I first looked at it, I thought it was just another gimmick and was about to throw it in the trash. After all, nothing is really free these days, or at least it seems that way. I didn't do it, but looked at it, contacted the web site and placed an order for myself and for my wife. We now have a supply of vitamins, a talking thermometer and a digital scale for the kitchen, all of which were free just because it was a benefit from our insurance program. There was no big announcement, just the pamphlet in the mail announcing the service. We often overlook all that we have just because we are skeptical of getting something free, but just think of the statements the the Apostle Paul makes in the Book of Ephesians, especially in the first three chapters. Ephesians 1:3 says, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:”

        Now, we are educated enough to know that we have blessings in our spiritual lives but have we really thought much about them? Paul goes on to write about our adoption into the family of God. Now, just think about being adopted for just a moment. We have been chosen to be children of God through the Lord Jesus Christ. That means we are a part of His family and have the benefits of just being there. We are also privileged to be redeemed through the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ and have the forgiveness of sins. All of this is because it is according to the riches of His grace and not out of the riches of His grace. I always love it when the Scriptures say, “according to” and not “out of.” The “according to” is going to be compared to the magnitude of His grace which is far greater than we could ever realize. Paul goes through the next several chapters and finally ends with a great doxology in 3:20-21. Then, comes the big “Therefore” in chapter 4 as he shifts gears and gets into the practical side of the believer's life. We have perhaps overlooked some of the excitement of the blessings that we have just because we have read it over and over and it has become so common to us that we don't stop and think about it for just a moment. We may be thinking, “After all, who would want to bless me?” God already has and the benefits are already present in our “spiritual bank account.” Sometimes it is just great to go through the first three chapter of Ephesians and recall the blessings that we have even in the midst of our depression, despair disasters of our present life. It is wonderful to think that God has given us all of these spiritual blessings so praise Him today for His abundant gifts all because of the finished work of His Son on the cross of Calvary.