9/4

Ephesians 2:3

3. . . among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.


We all came into this world spiritually dead with Adam's fallen nature. Selfishness is normal for such beings. We are interested in God only to the extent that He can serve us. While some of us were predestined according to God's foreknowledge, we had to experience conversion to be transformed (1 Peter 1:2). We grew up living in the passions and desires of our body and mind. We had to experience a transformation to become children of God.

The grace of God reached out to us in our rebellious condition and invited us to know life eternal in Jesus by receiving His love and the payment for our sins. That grace comes to all, time and time again, like the servants in the parable of the vineyard (Luke 20:9-18). Jesus, who is one with the Holy Spirit, comes to each person and pleads with them to turn from their path of destruction.

He alone can change us from being children of wrath to children of God. He alone can give life to our spirits. The choice to say yes to Him or to refuse His gift is ours to make. He won't make it for us, but He does give each one the grace to see the decision he or she is making. There will not be a soul in hell that would be happy in heaven. Heaven is all about Jesus. Children of wrath are all about themselves. Worship of Jesus is the joy of the redeemed but is drudgery, even torturous, to those who have rejected His invitations.

Consider: Have you accepted His invitation to make Jesus your all in all? If so, worship Him right now for the grace given to you.