Ephesians 1.1 - Part 2

Though I have been progressing forward in my study in Ephesians, I was pulled back into 1:1 lately by a friend who was asking me about God’s plan for life. We often see God’s will for our life as something tangible to find and hold… as if we could somehow grasp it we would suddenly have all the answers we need: Where should I study school? Whom am I suppose to marry? Am I suppose to marry? Do I make this choice or that one? Do I go here or wait and perhaps go there? What is the square root of 1,938,435? And if we could somehow find the “map” of God’s plan for our life… shazam! (insert fanfare music here) we would suddenly know what we are suppose to do! It was then that Ephesians 1:1 came into mind…

Ephesians 1:1 – “Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, to the saints who are in Ephesus, and faithful in Christ Jesus”

Though I had mentioned it earlier in an accountability email… I suddenly had a fresh revelation. What if the entire will of God is not contained in anything but being “of Jesus Christ”? That it doesn’t matter what I do (if I am a student, engineer, baker, candlestick maker, or lion tamer) that the entirety of the will of God for my life is wrapped up in the Person of Jesus.

It is interesting that the root word translated “will” in Ephesians is found 96 times in the whole Bible and an amazing 7 times in Ephesians alone (that is more than one use per chapter!). In the Old Testament the word is often translated: desire (see: Psalm 107:30; 145:19), delight (see: Psalm 1:2; 40:8), favor (see: Psalm 30:7), and pleasure (see: Esther 1:8). As you progress through the variety of Old Testament meanings you begin to see a picture of a king ruling and from within himself he desires and wills something to happen… and it does. It was never something that the king mapped out (like a battle plan he wished to happen) but rather it was found within the internals of the king himself. “What a phenomenal concept!” The will of God for my life is not found on any piece of paper… as if I could ever find it and see how my life is to take shape. Nor is it 5 easy steps and purposes we are to fulfill. Rather from the internals of who God is, He has a will (which just happens to be His good desire, delight, favor, and pleasure… see Eph. 1:5) that is found in the Person of Jesus Himself (see as a side note: Eph. 1:9).

Therefore, all that God has in store for me and my life is contained within His Person. His will is Jesus and Jesus alone. It does not matter what I do, where I am, my occupation, schooling, or if I am a great lion tamer or not – God’s sole purpose and will for my life is Jesus. He is the answer to my every question and need! I am to be “OF Jesus Christ” called a saint and faithful “IN Christ Jesus”. May it be so in my life!