Have you ever heard of David Livingstone? As a child, I loved the story of how this incredible Scottish missionary discovered Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe. He thought the falls were so beautiful that he stated, โScenes so lovely they must have been gazed upon by angels in their flight.โ After many years without hearing from Livingstone, a reporter was sent to Africa to find him. Upon locating him, he declared the famous quote, โDr. Livingstone, I presume?!โ As young preteens, we just loved this phrase and would repeat it to each other in the best British accents we could muster, then collapse in fits of giggles! However, this is not the story that I want you to remember.
David Livingstone received a note from one of the chiefs in the surrounding area where he was working. The message said that they would lose their lives that very night as he was coming with his warriors to slaughter them all. As you can imagine, Dr. Livingstone was very afraid and cried out to the LORD for protection. That night, nothing happened! Some months later, the same chief gave his life to the LORD, and Livingstone asked him why he hadnโt killed them as they had said they would. The chief looked at him and told him, โWe came, but when we did, we saw that the compound was surrounded by 39 giants, mighty warriors, protecting the camp!โ
Many years later, David Livingstone returned to Scotland, to the small rural church that had sent him to Africa, and he told them the story. After the meeting, the church secretary approached him and asked, โDo you remember the date when the chief was coming to kill you?โ Livingstone did and gave it to her. Looking through the church records, she came to that very day and showed him the entry. On that day 39 church members were in the church praying for David Livingstone! Coincidence? I think not.
Sometimes we donโt realize what the scripture, โThe effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much,โ really means! (James 5:16) What is the much? I would think much more than we could ever even begin to imagine. I do know that our prayers donโt have to be fancy ones, they donโt have to be long ones, or even ones with flowery words, but they have to be effective and fervent. Led by the Holy Spirit.
The far-reaching effects of our prayers we may never fully know, but we do know that great things are achieved by prayer, there is power in our prayer, and God hears and acts on every effective, fervent prayer!
PREPARE FOR VICTORY
In your journal, write down the names of three friends or situations you find yourself or your family in that are in need of a breakthrough right now. Pray over each of these for 39 seconds, a reminder of the 39 faithful prayer warriors who prayed for David Livingstone.
As you pray, picture in your mindโs eye the King of Kings, our Great and Mighty God, going before you with healing, protection, and power.
Remember Romans 8:28: โAnd we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.โ
Check back in a week and update your journal with the ways God is moving in and through each situation.
Some victories are won long before we ever see them.
Sometimes it feels as though we do nothing but battle. We wrestle, we struggle, and we fight. Ephesians 6:12 tells us this exact thing: โFor our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.โ Some translations use battle, fight, or wrestle.
Interestingly, this verse is not sounding an alarm; itโs not a clarion call announcing a call to arms, but a statement, a declaration that we are already in this battle. The war is already raging; from the very moment you give your life to Christ, you become part of the LORDโs army.
I had a picture of an intense battleground, bombs were exploding everywhere you looked, snipers were in the trees, and there were ambushes hidden around the corner. And there, walking among the flowers, was a person who looked like they were on a Sunday stroll. Stopping to pick flowers, oblivious to what was going on around them. It made me want to shout, to shake the stroller and say, โCanโt you see youโre in the middle of a battle! Be Careful!โThe battle is now, itโs right here, and will continue to be.
The surest way to lose a battle is to pretend it doesnโt exist. In 2 Corinthians 2:11, as Paul talks about forgiving one another, he says, โin order that Satan might not outwit us. For we are not unaware of his schemes.โThe devil schemes, he plots, and he plans, and his conspiracies are not ones for your good; they are to kill you, like a lion to devour you. (1 Peter 5:8)
I feel we must put a BUT GOD moment in here! But God has equipped us, has given us armor, has advised us of the battle plan. We are fighting a battle that we will win! The Holy Spirit was sent to us to be our guide. He helps us in our weakness and leads us in all truth. Godโs Word illuminates our path, equips us for battle. Our worship to the LORD conquers even the fiercest of enemies. And prayer, oh prayer, Karl Barth put it this way: โTo clasp hands in prayer is the beginning of an uprising against the disorder of the world.โ
PREPARE FOR VICTORY
Today, create a Battle Plan on a small card that you can keep in your purse. You can decorate it with stickers, draw pictures of swords, or simply write BATTLE PLAN in bold letters at the top. On the card, write the following 3 action plans:
A scripture that you can speak out loud when the battle comes close.
A worship song you can sing that lifts your spirits and speaks of victory.
A short prayer you can pray out loud in those difficult moments
Tuck it in your purse or a place close by so that you can use it when you feel yourself becoming overwhelmed with the battle raging around you.
๐๐ฑ๐ผ๐ฝ๐๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐ถ๐ป๐๐ผ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ ๐ณ๐ฎ๐บ๐ถ๐น๐ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐๐ผ๐ฑ! I love that. With brothers and sisters of all shapes, sizes, ethnicities, and cultures across the world. If ever there were a movement that I would want to be a part of, this is the one! To be adopted into the family of Jesus Christ. How fantastic!
Being born into a family and being adopted into a family are two very different things. You donโt choose the family you are born into, and they donโt choose you, but when you are adopted into the family of God, the Father chooses you to become a part of this wonderful inheritance, this glorious legacy, this amazing family! There is one incredible similarity to being born into a family; everything that was available to Jesus is also available to you. You have access to the Father at any time. You are an heir of the Father and a joint heir with Jesus Christ. Ephesians 1:5a tells us this, โhaving predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself.โ You are adopted as a son or a daughter, NOT as a servant!
This is how the dictionary defines adopted: โ๐ญ๐ฆ๐จ๐ข๐ญ๐ญ๐บ ๐ฎ๐ข๐ฅ๐ฆ ๐ต๐ฉ๐ฆ ๐ด๐ฐ๐ฏ ๐ฐ๐ณ ๐ฅ๐ข๐ถ๐จ๐ฉ๐ต๐ฆ๐ณ ๐ฐ๐ง ๐ด๐ฐ๐ฎ๐ฆ๐ฐ๐ฏ๐ฆ ๐ฐ๐ต๐ฉ๐ฆ๐ณ ๐ต๐ฉ๐ข๐ฏ ๐ข ๐ฃ๐ช๐ฐ๐ญ๐ฐ๐จ๐ช๐ค๐ข๐ญ ๐ฑ๐ข๐ณ๐ฆ๐ฏ๐ต.โ You are legally the daughter of the Most High God. When you are adopted into the family of the King of the Ages, you enter into a covenant with Him. A legally binding covenant, one that our Abba Father will never break. When you enter into that covenant, you will always be a part of Godโs family, you will always be His, and He will always be your Father.
I absolutely agree with this quote from J I Packer, “If you want to judge how well a person understands Christianity, find out how much he makes of the thought of being Godโs child and having God as his Father. If this is not the thought that prompts and controls his worship and prayers and his whole outlook on life, it means that he does not understand Christianity very well at all.โ The God of the Universe is your Father, you are His child โ that is the very essence of your being. Our identity is wrapped up in the knowledge, the heartfelt knowledge that God is our Father. You are legally bound to Him, eternally chosen, placed in His family for all of eternity. A daughter of the King!
Reflections:
In what ways does knowing that you are legally adopted by God, not merely tolerated, shape the way you see your worth and identity today?ย Are there areas in your life where you still think or live like a servant instead of a much-loved daughter?
What are the ways you approach God as though He is a distant authority rather than a loving Father?ย Would there be changes in your prayer life or the way you trust Him if you fully embraced Him as your Abba, your faithful, covenant-keeping Father?
Does being a part of Godโs global family shape the way you look at or love other believers?ย
Step-By-Step
Today, intentionally pray using the word Father, Daddy, or Abba, taking a moment to thank Him for adopting you into His family, making you a daughter of The King. Find a sticky note and write down one truth about your identity as Godโs daughter and declare it over yourself every day, a reminder that you are adopted, chosen, fully loved and fully known.
S๐บ๐ฒ๐น๐น. That oh so important sense that can take us back within seconds to our childhood or to a memorable event. The smell of the first rains on dry and dusty soil brings me straight back to Africa. Often when my husband hugs me, I like to breathe in deeply as the smell of his aftershave makes me feel safe and after 25 years of marriage is one of beautiful familiarity. But the fragrance of potpourri can make me feel nauseous straight away as it reminds me of my pregnancy when the tiniest whiff made me feel sick!
Anointing oil was very important in Israel, and very expensive. Many oils were much more costly than diamonds and were a sign of great wealth. Each King and Priest was anointed prior to their taking office, the aroma advancing before them so that everyone would know โ the King, the King is coming! Now when the new King was anointed, they didnโt just drip a drop on his forehead, no โ this could be as much as a pint of fragrant perfume! Letโs take a quick look at a story back in the Old Testament, an occasion of celebration, great joy, the anointing of the future King of Israel, King Solomon โ โ๐บ๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐, ๐ต๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐, ๐ฉ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐ฑ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐, ๐๐๐ ๐ฒ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐ท๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐บ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ฒ๐๐๐ ๐ซ๐๐๐๐ โ๐ ๐๐๐๐, ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐ฎ๐๐๐๐. ๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐บ๐๐๐๐๐๐. ๐ป๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ , โ๐ณ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐ฒ๐๐๐ ๐บ๐๐๐๐๐๐!โ ๐จ๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐, ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐, ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ .โ 1 Kings 1:38-40. This was quite the party, the people of Israel rejoiced so much that the ground literally shook. Zadok the priest took that anointing oil and poured it over Solomon, the smell would have been strong, radiating out through the crowd.
Fast forward to the week before Jesusโ death on the cross. Palm Sunday, also known as the Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem. โ๐ป๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐ฑ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐ฑ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐. ๐ป๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐, ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐, โ๐ฏ๐๐๐๐๐๐!โ โ๐ฉ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐ณ๐๐๐ !โ โ๐ฉ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐ฐ๐๐๐๐๐!โ ๐ฑ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐, ๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐: โ๐ซ๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ , ๐ซ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐; ๐๐๐, ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐, ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐ ๐ ๐๐๐๐๐โ๐ ๐๐๐๐.โ John 12:12-15. Incredible similarity!
But where was the fragrance? Where was the anointing oil with the Kingly aroma that would have told the crowd surrounding Him that Jesus was the King of Israel?
For that answer we need to go back to the night before! Once again Jesus was at Marthaโs house dining with Lazarus and many of his other friends. โ๐ป๐๐๐ ๐ด๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ , ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐ฑ๐๐๐๐, ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ฏ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐. ๐จ๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐.โ John 12:3.
How I love Mary, always doing something unexpected, her love for Jesus always on display! Mary took a pound โ thatโs nearly two cups- of extremely expensive oil and washed Jesusโ feet with it, using her beautiful hair as a rag! Mary, in an act of absolute humility, laid her self-worth at Jesusโ feet, tenderly using her hair to clean away the dust and dirt from the day. Her actions saying, โ๐ผ ๐๐พ๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ฝ๐พ๐๐, ๐ถ๐๐ ๐๐ป ๐๐, ๐ป๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐ป๐พ๐๐ถ๐๐ธ๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ป-๐๐๐๐๐ฝ, ๐๐ ๐พ๐น๐๐๐๐พ๐๐, ๐๐ ๐น๐พ๐๐๐พ๐๐, ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐พ๐๐ ๐๐พ๐๐๐๐ ๐ ๐พ๐๐ธ๐ ๐๐ป ๐๐๐๐๐๐ป.โ โAnd the house was filled with the fragrance of the oil.โ Not too surprising when you consider the amount of oil Mary poured out.
And so, our sweet Mary fulfilled that part of the story. Perhaps the part of the story where the fragrance of Christ began, the fragrance of the King of Kings and LORD of Lords. The fragrance of the Great I Am, YHWH. As Jesus rode into Jerusalem, the deep fragrance of spikenard went before Him, almost like the dot on the i or the cross on a t. This is the King of Israel. In the final week before the cross everywhere Jesus went, He would have carried the fragrance of the King with him, it would have said to the Roman soldier, โ๐ ๐๐บ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ผ๐ณ ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด๐,โ to Herod and Pilate, โ๐ ๐๐บ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ผ๐ณ ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด๐,โ to all those who mocked Him, beat Him and put Him to death, โ๐ ๐๐ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ผ๐ณ ๐๐๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ฒ๐น!โ
My husband, Andy, has two older siblings. They are 11 and 13 years older than him, so it was a very long time before Andy came along. One of the things that Andy often says is, โI was not an afterthought, I was a no-thought!โ His parents didnโt even think about having another child; Andy was a big surprise, with no thought given.
The wonderful thing about Ephesians 1:4a is that it tells us: โjust as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the worldโฆโ You are definitely not an afterthought or even a no-thought! God thought of you long before He hung one star in place. He chose you before He created a galaxy or a planet. Our Abba Father thought of you before He made a giraffe, breathed life into Adam, or said, โLet there be light!โ He was thinking about you! Doesnโt that boggle your mind?! It certainly blows mine.
Charles Spurgeon says this about being chosen – “If God hadn’t chosen me before the foundation of the world, He wouldn’t choose me now!” How true is that! When I think back upon my life, the bad choices I made, the rebellion I lived in, the fact that God chose me at all is astonishing. Being chosen by God is not something that should make us proud; it should humble us, make us stand before the LORD in wonder. David praised our glorious God in this way, โWhen I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is mankind that you are mindful of them, human beings that you care for them?โ
There was a reason that God chose you and me. He chose us so โthat we should be holy and without blame before Him in love,โ Ephesians 1:4b. We couldnโt have chosen ourselves, and we canโt become holy and blameless without Jesus. Being holy means that we are to love what God loves and hate what God hates. So much out there in the world tells us to strive after โhappiness,โ but God tells us to seek โholiness.โ Happiness is based on our circumstances and what happens to us during the day, but holiness is based on God and on becoming more Christ-like. Vance Havner quotes, โGod saved us to make us holy, not happy!โ
Arenโt you thankful for the blood of Jesus? โAnd by that will, we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.โ Hebrews 10:10. Through the body and blood of Jesus, we have been made holy, as though we have never sinned. There is no other way. Because of the love of God in sending His only Son, we have been made holy. We are chosen, and that before the beginning of time. Never an after-thought or a no-thought. Hand-picked by God and for God. Oh, what a precious gift!
Reflections
In what way does knowing that the Father chose you โbefore the foundation of the worldโ change the way you view your value, identity, and purpose?
Where do you tend to seek happiness over holiness in your daily life, and what might it look like to align those areas with Godโs call to be holy?
When you reflect on your past, your choices, and perhaps bad decisions, and the LORDโs continued grace, how does that deepen your humility and thankfulness for being chosen in Christ?
Step-by-Step
Spend a few moments praising the Father for choosing you and making you holy through His Son, Jesus. Ask Him to reveal a practical way that you can pursue holiness over comfort this week, and take that step in faith.
Early in the spring of 1905, Civilla Martin and her husband met Mr. and Mrs. Doolittle. Mrs. Doolittle had been bedridden for 20 years, and her husband was confined to a wheelchair. Despite their affliction, they brought comfort, inspiration, and encouragement to everyone they met. One day, Mrs. Doolittle was asked the secret to her bright hopefulness, and her response was, โHis eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.โ This simple, beautiful expression of great faith inspired the well-known hymn, โHis Eye is on the Sparrow.โ
He watches me! He watches you! How incredibly comforting are those three unassuming words. Wherever you are, no matter what you are doing, the Father is watching you.
Weโve heard about how in John 1:48 Nathanael enquires of Jesus, โHow do you know me? Jesus answered and said to him, โBefore Phillip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.โ I saw you!I saw you praying under your fig tree. Iโm watching you. I saw you picking up groceries. I saw you when that tear slipped down your cheek in the car. I saw you in that meeting, talking with your friend, driving to work. In every situation, I see you!I see you. My eye is upon you. Iโm watching you.
Your loving Father sees you in all your wonderful potential. Washed clean and beautiful by the blood of Jesus. He sees you in your good moments and in your bad. You are never invisible or too small and insignificant โ the ever-watchful eyes of your Savior are upon you! He sees you.
Whenever I am tempted,
Whenever clouds arise,
When songs give place to sighing,
When hope within me dies,
I draw the closer to Him;
From care He sets me free:
His eye is on the sparrow,
And I know He watches me;
His eye is on the sparrow,
And I know He watches me.
I sing because Iโm happyโ
I sing because Iโm freeโ
For His eye is on the sparrow,
And I know He watches me.
Reflections
What are the areas in your life that you most need to be reminded that God truly sees you?ย Is there a situation, a burden, or an aching place in your heart that needs His watching, loving gaze today?
How does knowing that the God Who Sees perceives both your tears, and your faithfulness change the way you think about your Abba Father?
What are the ways in which you have felt invisible, unseen and how does knowing that the LORD is watching you at all times gently challenge that lie?
Step-By-Step
Set aside 10 quiet minutes today and pick a quiet place, perhaps a special chair, your porch, or even outside under a tree. Settle down and open your hands upwards towards the LORD, take a deep breath and simply say, โLord, You see me.โ Write down one thing you sense He sees in you today, whether it be a struggle, a strength, or a step of faith. Keep that note somewhere visible as a reminder: You are seen by your Creator. You are fully known by your Father. You are watched over in love by your God.
El Roi. The God Who Sees. The God who sees us in every moment, whose eye is always upon us, watching over us. The God who sees us when tears slip down our cheeks, when the weight of the world threatens to crush us. The God who sees us when we sit alone, when anxiety overwhelms, and we canโt seem to cast off those fearful thoughts. The God who sees us in the good and the bad. Always watching. El Roi.
The story of Hagar is a beautiful one, the only time our Father is referred to as El Roi. Itโs a story of redemption and hope. In Genesis 16:13, Hagar says this to the LORD: โYou are the God who sees me,โ for she said, I have now seen the One who sees me.โ You saw me. The Creator, the Holy One, the Great I Am saw me and didnโt ignore me! But even more than this, Hagar says, โI have seen the One who sees me.โ Hagar saw God! In that desolate place, crushed and expecting to die, Hagar saw God.
In moments of great anguish, God not only sees us, but He also reveals Himself to us. Do you remember Elijah? After being chased by Jezebel, he fell into a great depression and cried out to God, saying, โI have had enough, Lord, he said. Take my life.โ (1 Kings 19:4b). Strengthened supernaturally by the LORD, he traveled for 40 days to a cave at Mount Horeb, where God revealed Himself to Elijah in a whisper. A voice of intimacy, one where you have to lean in and come close to hear the words.
Hagar wouldnโt have seen God if it werenโt for her brokenness and trials. When all seems lost, remember God sees You! Ask Him to reveal Himself to you, to comfort and encourage. Your loving Father sees you in all your wonderful potential. Washed clean and beautiful by the blood of Jesus. He sees you in your good moments and in your bad. You are never invisible or too small and insignificant โ the ever-watchful eyes of your Savior are upon you! He sees you!
Reflections
What are the areas in your life that you need to be reminded that God truly sees you?ย What emotions, anxieties, or hidden places are you carrying that you need to bring into His loving gaze?
How does knowing God is El Roi โ the God who sees โ change the way you view your current struggles or even loneliness?ย In what way might He be using this season you are in to reveal Himself to you even more deeply, just as He did with Hagar and Elijah?
What would it look like for you to hear your Abba Fatherโs whisper in this season?ย Are there distractions, fears, or busyness that may keep you from hearing His gentle, quiet voice?
Step By Step
Set aside a few quiet minutes today to sit before the LORD and pray this simple prayer:
โEl Roi, You see me. Please reveal Yourself to me today.โ
Write down anything you sense the Father speaking to your heart, whether it be a scripture, a word, or a sense of His presence watching over you. Know that you are fully seen, chosen, and loved.
There is a very significant treasure in the first chapter of Ephesians and that treasure is mentioned eleven times! It is a treasure and a key to all the sweetness of those spiritual blessings. That is that they are found โin Christ!โ You are chosen in Him, accepted in the Beloved, the faithful in Christ Jesus. This small truth is absolutely foundational to our understanding of the heavenly blessings in Christ.
When you put your hand in Jesusโ hand and promised to follow Him all the days of your life. When you turned your heart over to the Father and gave Him control, believing that Jesus died for you and rose again so that you can be united to the Great I Am for all of eternity, you became โin Christ,โ part of the family of God. An inseparable union, just like a marriage, when a man and woman become one, so you become one with Christ. A Covenant was sealed; we are no longer separate, but a branch grafted into the vine.
John 15:5 says, โI am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.โ If we abide in Christ, we will bear much fruit. The heavenly blessings that are in Christ Jesus are ours; without Him, we can do nothing. Jesus is our home! He is the place where we can rest. He is our safe place. But we need to abide in Him.
One of my favorite tools is my curling iron, which helps tame the crazy head of hair I was born with. But that curling iron doesnโt work unless I plug it into the electrical outlet. Without electricity powering this tool, it wonโt work; it wonโt heat up; there will be no power; and it wonโt be able to do the work it was intended to do. We need to spend time with Jesus, time in His Word and in prayer, time in His presence, get to know our glorious Savior, and we need to โplug inโ to Christ. Without His presence, there is no power; we need His guidance.
This little quote from a church bulletin says it all – “So far today, LORD, I’ve done all right. I haven’t gossiped; I haven’t lost my temper; I haven’t been greedy, grumpy, nasty, selfish, or overindulgent. I’m very thankful for that. But in a few moments, LORD, I’m going to get out of bed. And from then on, I’m going to need a lot of help.” We cannot live a life that honors God without being โin Christ.โ
Are you โin Christ.โ Have you given control of your life over to our Abba Father? Have you shouted it from the mountain tops that Jesus Christ is your LORD and Savior? Do you abide in Him, spend time in His glorious presence, plug in to your Savior? Today, if thatโs you then you are part of the family of God, you are the Kingโs daughter, you are absolutely entitled to every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, you are indeed โchosenโ by Him! Today you can shout with all your being, โHallelujah, I AM HIS!โ
Reflections
What does it truly mean in your everyday life to be โin Christ,โ not just in what you believe but in how you think when challenged, respond to situations, and take times of rest?
What are the areas of your life where you have been trying to function in your own power instead of staying โplugged inโ to Jesusโ power and presence?
In what ways does knowing that you are inseparably from the LORD, โin Christ,โ change the way you view your identity, self-worth, and access to His spiritual blessings?
Step-By-Step
Today, set aside a specific, planned time to โplug inโ to Jesusโopen His Word, pray honestly, and surrender your plans and anxieties to Him. Ask the LORD to help you abide in Him during every moment of your day.
The word chosen in the Greek is โ๐ฆ๐ฌ๐ญ๐ฆ๐จ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐ข๐ชโ ๐ฎ๐ฆ๐ข๐ฏ๐ช๐ฏ๐จ ๐ต๐ฐ ๐ฑ๐ช๐ค๐ฌ ๐ฐ๐ณ ๐ค๐ฉ๐ฐ๐ฐ๐ด๐ฆ ๐ฐ๐ถ๐ต ๐ง๐ฐ๐ณ ๐ฐ๐ฏ๐ฆโ๐ด ๐ด๐ฆ๐ญ๐ง. ๐๐ฉ๐ฐ๐ฐ๐ด๐ช๐ฏ๐จ ๐ฐ๐ฏ๐ฆ ๐ฐ๐ถ๐ต ๐ฐ๐ง ๐ฎ๐ข๐ฏ๐บ. ๐๐ฐ ๐ค๐ข๐ญ๐ญ ๐ฃ๐บ ๐ฏ๐ข๐ฎ๐ฆ.Before the foundation of the world, the Father saw you amongst so many; He picked you out for Himself, and He called you by name!
Psalm 139 is an incredibly beautiful Psalm. Verses 14-16 say this: โFor you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my motherโs womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.โ The Great, Almighty God saw you before you were formed, and He fashioned your days, every single one of them, writing them in His book. ๐ง๐ต๐ฒ ๐ฒ๐๐ฒ๐ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐๐ผ๐๐ฟ ๐๐ผ๐ป๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ณ๐๐น ๐๐ฎ๐๐ต๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐๐ฎ๐ ๐๐ผ๐, ๐ฏ๐ฒ๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐๐ผ๐ ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐ฏ๐ผ๐ฟ๐ป, ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐๐ฒ ๐๐บ๐ถ๐น๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐ฐ๐ต๐ผ๐๐ฒ ๐๐ผ๐!
Of course, thereโs always a question, โWhy did you choose me?โ The obvious answer to that and the simplest is because He loves you. He loves you and has a plan for you. But there is so much more than that! โYou did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should remain, that whatsoever you ask the Father in My name He may give you.โ John 15:16
You are chosen and appointed to bear fruit, fruit that will remain. The Father has a plan for you to leave behind a legacy of change. โEye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered the heart of man, the things which God has prepared for those who love Him.โ 1 Corinthians 2:9. You cannot even begin to imagine the incredible plan God has for your life. You cannot conceive of the wonders He has prepared for you!
In John 1, we read the story of Jesus โfindingโ His disciples. Verses 45-51 tell the story of how Nathanael became one of the twelve. At first, Nathanael seemed a little irritated and unconvinced that anything good could come out of Nazareth, but in verse 48, Jesus says to him, โBefore Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.โ I saw you! He saw Nathanael long before Nathanael even knew about Jesus. Chances are that Nathanael was sitting under the fig tree praying, as that is where many young rabbinic students would go to pray. Chances are that he was even praying for a Messiah, as the hope of the coming of the Messiah was on everyoneโs mind. Students were taught, โhe who, when he prays, does not pray for the coming of the Messiah, has not prayed at all!โ Nathanael knew when Jesus said, โI saw you under the fig tree,โ that standing before him was the answer to his prayers, the Messiah, the coming King, the King of Israel!
So too does Jesus see You. His gaze is kind, and His intentions are good as He looks at you and says, โI saw you; I chose you!โ He chose you long before you were born and saw you long before you had ever heard the beautiful name of Jesus. Chosen. You are chosen.
Reflections
What stirs in your heart and emotions to know that your choosing was not absolutely random but intentional, and even more than that, before the foundation of the world?
Have there been times in yourย life when you struggled with the question, โWhy would God choose me?โย How does Jesusโ assurance that you were chosen and appointed to bear lasting fruit speak into that area of insecurity?
Like Nathanael praying under that fig tree, where has Jesus โseenโ you in those places you thought were hidden, times of heartfelt prayer, anguish, disappointment, or those seasons of endless waitingโbefore you even recognized His faithfulness and work behind the scenes?ย How does knowing that He saw you help you trust Him today?
Step-by-Step
Take time today to sit quietly with God and pray your own โfig tree prayer.โ Tell Him about areas where you feel unseen or small. Write down one way you sense Him saying, โI see you. I chose you.โ Allow that truth to reshape your identity into one that is Chosen!
William Borden came from a life of incredible riches, anything that money could buy within his grasp. The heir to a considerable family inheritance was given a trip around the world on his 16th birthday. While traveling around the world, William became increasingly burdened for the lost, and on his return home, he studied at Princeton University. In the back of his Bible, he penned the words, โNo reserves.โ Upon his graduation, his family pleaded with him to lead the family business. His response was that the mission field was far too important to him. In his bible he then wrote, โNo retreat.โ William travelled to Egypt on his way to become a missionary in China, and it was there that he contracted meningitis and died within three weeks. His mother, finding his Bible, discovered the last words her son had penned in the back of it: โNo regrets!โ This was a young man who had every earthly blessing available to him but realized that heavenly blessings were far more important.
The problem with regret is that it causes you to look back, to be disappointed, or to feel that you have missed an opportunity. Remember Lotโs wife? She looked back, instead of looking towards a future in a land the LORD had promised, instead of obedience to the Father, regret made her look back. Jesus mentions her in Luke 17:31-32: โOn that day no one who is on the housetop, with possessions inside, should go down to get them. Likewise, no one in the field should go back for anything. Remember Lotโs wife!โ
Lotโs wife was so attached to her worldly blessings and riches that she couldnโt move forward into Godโs promises. For her, wealth and prosperity were more important than the host of spiritual blessings that awaited her. And so she was turned to salt, frozen forever in a state of regret.
How I want to be like William Borden, or like Paul himself, who wrote Ephesians from his place in prison. How I want to live a life of sacrifice where the pull of the comforts of the world doesnโt drag me in. I confess, my flesh desires to live a life of comfort, and the constant battering of social media and advertising pulls me into wanting more. The cry of my heart is to focus on those heavenly blessings spoken about by Paul, to be able to live a life of โNo regrets!โ
Reflections
Are there areas in your life where you see the words โreserve,โ โretreat,โ or โregretโ quietly shaping your own decisions?ย What are the comforts or fears thatย make it harder for you to fully obey God when He calls you to something new or different?
What are you often tempted to โlook backโ upon when God invites you to trust Him with your future?ย Is it security, possessions, recognition, approval, or a way of life that feels much easier than stepping out?
If someone were to read about you and the story of your life, what would they see mattered the most to you?ย
Step-by-Step
Take some time to pray and write out your own three-phrase declarationโinspired by William Bordenโs โNo Reserves. No Retreat. No Regrets.โ Write it somewhere that is always before your eyes, in your Bible, your journal, or even the front of your phone, a daily reminder to not look back and live with โNo Regrets.โ
Claire's Prayer 