“HE PUT ALL THINGS!”

 

Ephesians 1:15-23                      (ESV)

Thanksgiving and Prayer

“[15] For this reason, because I have heard of your faith in the LORD JESUS and your love toward all the saints, [16] I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers, [17] that the GOD of our LORD JESUS CHRIST, the FATHER of GLORY, may give you the SPIRIT of WISDOM and of REVELATION in the knowledge of HIM, [18] having THE EYES OF YOUR HEARTS ENLIGHTENED, that you may know what is the hope to which HE has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, [19] and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might [20] that HE worked in CHRIST when HE raised HIM from the dead and seated HIM at his right hand in the heavenly places, [21] far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. [22] And “HE PUT ALL THINGS” under HIS feet and gave HIM as head over all things to the church, [23] which is HIS body, the fullness of HIM WHO fills all in all.”

Our perception of how life is progressing doesn’t instill tremendous joy and confidence that everything is under control!  Even in my life I fall to SEE how the worsening of EVERYTHING is fulfilling THE PLAN OF GOD.  The subtitle of the passage of Scripture today states “Thanksgiving and Prayer”!  How are we supposed to give “Thanksgiving and Prayer” when we SEE society devolving into utter darkness with seemingly no concern?

In verse 20 above Scripture records “…HE worked in CHRIST when HE raised HIM from the dead and seated HIM at his right hand in the heavenly places,”.  ALMIGHTY GOD planned, caused, and orchestrated everything in the past and has the future ALL figured out to GLORIFY HIM, despite the unbelief of HIS of some.  The “gut wrenching” thing is that I AM A BELIEVER, yet there are times my actions do NOT display that I KNOW that HE IS IN CONTROL???

Obedience to the SPIRIT OF GOD can be a difficult conundrum! We should KNOW that “HE PUT ALL THINGS” under HIS feet and gave HIM as head over all things to the church”, yet we act as though HE is as surprised by our sins (or our obedience!) as we are disappointed by our actions???  Ephesians 1:4 is readily available for us AND SAYS “even as HE CHOSE US in HIM BEFORE THE FOUNDATION OF THE WORLD, that we should be holy and blameless before HIM”!  Why did HE CHOOSE US when HE could have chosen any of the CREATED to serve HIM?  John 3:16 begins with the answer, “FOR GOD SO LOVED”!!!

JESUS is the head over ALL THINGS!!!  ALL means ALL!  HE allows each of us to breathe even when we are rebellious and self-serving!  “HE PUT ALL THINGS” in order to serve HIM.  We need to understand that ALL THINGS means ALL THINGS, not just what we want to give HIM!!!