"Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God.
To God's holy people in Ephesus, the faithful in Christ Jesus: Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. For he chose us in Him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love, he predestined us to be adopted to sonship, in accordance with his pleasure and will -- to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has given us in the one he loves." - Ephesians 1:1-6
Adopted to Sonship
Jesus purchased our broken, disfigured souls when he died on the tree on Golgotha. It was a cruel, humiliating death, in which the King of Kings was stripped naked, beaten, bloodied, and mocked with a crown of thorns upon his brow, and a purple robe upon his back. Finally, he was literally nailed to a tree, where he eventually suffocated and died.
Cruelty is often the normal, unfortunate response of hardened human hearts to unrelenting love. Pure love makes us feel exposed, uncomfortable, and guilty for the impurity in our own hearts. Guilt changes into hatred of self. Self-hatred turns into resentfulness toward the one who exposed our impure hearts. Resentfulness leads to dehumanization and rage, which eventually leads to acts of cruelty. Maybe this is why people who work with traumatized individuals often get so discouraged. They offer their purist love and in return, they are rejected in cruel ways. Perhaps mistreatment is the price of redemption.
After Jesus cried out his last, he was pierced by a spear and blood and water poured out of him. Little did those standing near him know that the blood spraying in the Middle-Eastern sun was the price for their very souls.
All throughout Christ's torture, he never wavered in his love for humanity, despite their cruel hate. Scripture teaches he could have called down legions of angels to defend him. But he endured, and cried instead, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do." Later, when Jesus cried out, "It is finished!" a light dawned for humanity. The final curse had passed over them. We lifted up his broken body as slaves; we took it down as sons.
Will you continue to crucify True Love? Knowing that he would be more than willing to die to set you free from your hatred, will you still cling to it with a clenched fist towards your Father? I implore you: Stop resisting! Give in to his love, and allow his hands to heal your heart. The price is already paid; the adoption process is complete. Will you go with Him?
To God's holy people in Ephesus, the faithful in Christ Jesus: Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. For he chose us in Him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love, he predestined us to be adopted to sonship, in accordance with his pleasure and will -- to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has given us in the one he loves." - Ephesians 1:1-6
Adopted to Sonship
Jesus purchased our broken, disfigured souls when he died on the tree on Golgotha. It was a cruel, humiliating death, in which the King of Kings was stripped naked, beaten, bloodied, and mocked with a crown of thorns upon his brow, and a purple robe upon his back. Finally, he was literally nailed to a tree, where he eventually suffocated and died.
Cruelty is often the normal, unfortunate response of hardened human hearts to unrelenting love. Pure love makes us feel exposed, uncomfortable, and guilty for the impurity in our own hearts. Guilt changes into hatred of self. Self-hatred turns into resentfulness toward the one who exposed our impure hearts. Resentfulness leads to dehumanization and rage, which eventually leads to acts of cruelty. Maybe this is why people who work with traumatized individuals often get so discouraged. They offer their purist love and in return, they are rejected in cruel ways. Perhaps mistreatment is the price of redemption.
After Jesus cried out his last, he was pierced by a spear and blood and water poured out of him. Little did those standing near him know that the blood spraying in the Middle-Eastern sun was the price for their very souls.
All throughout Christ's torture, he never wavered in his love for humanity, despite their cruel hate. Scripture teaches he could have called down legions of angels to defend him. But he endured, and cried instead, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do." Later, when Jesus cried out, "It is finished!" a light dawned for humanity. The final curse had passed over them. We lifted up his broken body as slaves; we took it down as sons.
Will you continue to crucify True Love? Knowing that he would be more than willing to die to set you free from your hatred, will you still cling to it with a clenched fist towards your Father? I implore you: Stop resisting! Give in to his love, and allow his hands to heal your heart. The price is already paid; the adoption process is complete. Will you go with Him?