Paul was always amazed that he was called by God. “Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God,” (Ephesians 1:1a). A man who was bitter and angry, a persecutor of Christians, a Pharisee and Roman Citizen who sought to imprison and kill all those following Christ. It’s almost as if Paul was saying, “Wow, I can’t believe it, because of God I am now a spokesperson for Jesus!” Over and over throughout the New Testament, you see a man who stands amazed, whose boast is only in the LORD, never in himself.
Honestly, that’s me! When I think back upon my past and where I came from, I am ‘gob-smacked,’ as my husband would say, that the LORD called me. That He chose me when there are so many other, much better choices that He could have made. My path was one where I only thought of myself, worked hard, and played harder, sadly there were a few casualties along the way, as there so often is. There was a “But God” moment in my life, a “Come to Jesus” moment! God turned my broken life around, and I am still so often surprised by where this journey with my Savior has taken me. Glory to God!
And so, Paul simply states in a humble fashion, “I am a spokesperson for God by the will of God.” What I love next is that Paul is talking to the Saints in Ephesus. “To the saints who are in Ephesus, and faithful in Christ Jesus,” (Ephesians 1:1b). The Saints! Not some holier-than-thou saints with gleaming halos upon their heads, but real, everyday Christians in Ephesus. Doctors, nurses, retailers, lawyers, clerks, you name it, people just like you and me. This verse could say, “To the saints who are in ______,” insert your city here. You are that Saint that Paul is talking to!
Now, let’s take the religiosity off Saint for a second. Saint means one set apart, holy. That’s you! When you said ‘yes’ to Jesus, you became set apart, and through His precious blood, holy, as if you had never sinned! Wow, the very thought fills me with awe. As we read through this time, as we seek our true identity in Christ, the very first thing to remember is that you are called by the will of God and that you are a Saint, holy and set apart. Doesn’t that make you want to rejoice? Stand a little straighter, Saint, lift your head a little higher, He has called you!
Reflections
- Paul always remembered who he was before Christ and how far he had come. How does remembering your own “before Christ” story make you thankful for God’s calling on your life?
- Paul describes himself simply as an apostle “by the will of God,” not by anything he had done and certainly not by luck. Do you sometimes struggle to believe that God truly chose you—just as you are? How can you begin to trust that God chose you as you are?
- The believers in Ephesus were ordinary people just like you and I, but Paul calls them “saints.” How does redefining “saint” as “set apart and made holy through Christ” change your view of yourself and other believers?
Step-By-Step
Today, write your name and city into Ephesians 1:1b (for example, “To the saint, ____, who is in _____, and faithful in Christ Jesus,” Read this verse out loud as a declaration that you are indeed called by the will of God, you are set apart for His purposes. Walk throughout your day with a consciousness that you are His called and chosen saint, remember gratitude, and humility in the person He called you to be.
Claire's Prayer 