(Please forgive the interruption last week. In addition to the blog tour, I had to tend a sick husband and a sick me.)
We bless you, the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. We praise you because you have blessed us in Christ with spiritual blessings in High places. Such a rich inheritance you have given us. Feed our hearts, fill us with a deep abiding knowledge of these things.
We thank you, God, for choosing us in Christ before the foundations of the world. Make us as holy as you have already made us blameless before you. Let us not forget that in love you had intended to adopt us before we ever knew you or were even born, for all our days are in your book, as the psalmist said. We accept this means we have come to saving faith in you, not through our own natural abilities and strength, but because of this grace you determined this according to the purpose of your will.
We praise you for such glorious grace. We thank you, that in the Beloved, we have redemption through his blood. Forgive us our trespasses this day, according to the riches of your grace,just as you promised in your word. In all wisdom and insight, have you lavished such blessings on us, so that your will might not be any more a mystery, but made known to us. May we not only perceive the path you would have us take today, but by faith, follow it.
We know also, lord, this gift is not for ourselves only, but you have set forth your purpose in Christ as a plan, in the fullness of time, to unite all things in you, both things on heaven and things on earth. For we know the day shall come when every knee shall bow and not only confess you as Lord, but follow your will and purpose. Come, Lord Jesus, give us a sense today of the role we play in your larger story.