My Benefit or His Glory?

In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation – having also believed, you were seal in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of God’s own possession, to the praise of His glory.  Eph 1:13-14

Over the past few days, I have been processing through the “spiritual blessings” that Paul introduces in Eph 1:3 and then outlines in Eph 1:4-14.  And, what a contemplation that has been!  If I were to walk daily in the fullness of even one of these spiritual blessings – oh what greater fullness I would experience!  And yet I barely scratch the surface of any of them.  So, naturally the challenge has been before me to actually walk in these blessings.

But, as I reread verses 13 and 14 this morning, something else struck me.  Do I live such that all the spiritual blessings I received are accepted with an attitude of glorifying the Giver?

I am rather selfish when it comes to blessings.  I want them.  For me.  Yes, when there is a tangible “extra” blessing – a powerfully answered prayer, a surprising material gift, etc – I can’t wait to share the news.  But, those aren’t the blessings listed in these eleven verses.  The blessings listed here are the foundational blessings of our lives as children of God.  Do I live out each of those for His glory?  Or do I simply take for granted the truth that I am His child?

I’m afraid I have a tendency toward the latter.  My challenge, therefore, is to change that tendency.  To not live from one excess material blessing to another, but to live the reality that these foundational blessings are far more incredible than I could ever truly discover in a lifetime.  And to live them out for the glory of my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and Him alone.