This week’s devotions are based on Week 6 of the Series Ephesians: Becoming Who You Are (CLICK HERE)
Yesterday, we went with my mother-in-law to look at living arrangements that might suit their season of life and need for independence, but perhaps additional resources to help them do things they are challenged to do like they used to. The one apartment available that the sales agent showed us was on the fourth floor of the complex and in the corner of the building. As we stood out on the patio you could see for miles…all the way to downtown Minneapolis…which is about 25 miles away. The sales agent mentioned you can see 10-12 fireworks displays from this vantage point. For 180 plus degrees you could see for miles around.
Having a vantage point at the top of a mountain peak, a tall building in a city or a high hill can be an awe-inspiring vantage point. One sees much more than what can be seen at street level.
Sometimes we can view the love of Christ from a street-level view point. We see the immediate effect of his presence and power and enjoy the saving grace and the forgiveness he gives to us. But do we really realize how “high” is the love of Christ?
Ephesians 3:18-19 And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 18 may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, 19 and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
When we take an elevated viewpoint of the love of God we begin to see different facets of his love that maybe we miss when we simply go through our day with little awareness of his love. When the Spirit of God elevates us above our day to day routine, we begin to see more fully God’s love. The first part of Ephesians elevates us to see the eternal plan of God that orchestrated our salvation in eternity and precisely carried out a plan to ensure that we were included in grace today.
Ephesians 1:4 For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love 5 he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will—
Chapter 2 of Ephesians gives us an “out of body” experience that shows us what happened while we were spiritually dead to bring us to life and ensure us that we are saved and heaven is ours.
Ephesian 2:4-5 But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved.
We see the height of God’s love as he lifts our eyes heavenwards and promises the room in heaven and an eternity with him. Throughout the Scripture, as we take time to slow down and enjoy the view, we see God’s amazing love that he is orchestrating for us on a daily basis. Perhaps the best today is to stop and slow down and reflect on God’s great love from a vantage point of the height of Jesus’ love!
Apply: What do you see when you view God’s love from a high vantage point?
Prayer: Lord, thank you for the immense love you have for me that not only shows itself on a daily basis, but also to see the many things we miss, but you regularly show to us! AMEN.