The second little glimpse I had into the mind of the Lord was from Revelation 13:8 And all the people who belonged to this world worshiped the beast. They are the ones whose names were not written in the Book of Life before the world was made--the Book that belongs to the Lamb who was slaughtered.
Now, take that Scripture and hook it up to Ephesians 1:4-7 4 Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes. 5 God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure. 6 So we praise God for the glorious grace he has poured out on us who belong to his dear Son. 7 He is so rich in kindness and grace that he purchased our freedom with the blood of his Son and forgave our sins.
Do you see it? Our salvation was and is assured by the Lord. Our Father chose us before the foundations of the world to claim us as His own. Before the world was made, we belonged to Him. How exciting, how comforting, how reassuring....Amazing!! Take heart at this fact. Be strengthened in the knowledge that our God does not throw us away when we fail, but lifts us up to start again. We can rest in His eternal love because we were chosen before the world began.
This doesn't mean we are to live loose, willy-nilly, sin filled lives because, "Oh, God chose me just as I am." No, consequences will come when we sin. And He chose us for a mission...to share the Gospel, to become like Christ, to fill this world with the fragrance of Heaven's love and holiness. But it does mean that we are His, assured of His salvation, His discipline and His love.
What a wonderful God we serve!
Lord, thank You for this steadfast belonging. You will never leave nor forsake those who are called by Your Name from the foundations of the world. Lord, help us to live accordingly, and live boldly for Your Name's sake. We want to live lives fruitful lives that please You and reflect our calling. Thank You as always for all that You do for us and for who You are. In Jesus' Name. Amen.
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