COMMANDS.

My study on Glorious Grace led me to search Ephesians 1:1-14 for COMMANDS. Hmmm. Has the writer read that passage? Ok, I am kidding, but it looks like a lot truths for my walk with Jesus, but nothing that He is telling me to do. After all, I am accepted, chosen, and adopted. Go me!

In case you didn’t guess, I am a very literal person. A command should be phrased like one: DO this. DON”T do that. STOP doing bad. START doing good. You know, really easy for even my kindergartener to understand. But this passage isn’t phrased that way. There is even something in verse 9 about a MYSTERY—No kidding! After all, it is written by the same guy who wrote to the Corinthians about riddles and enigmas.

But then, I looked again. I switched versions (more than once, but that is just me) and there it was in black and white INSTRUCTIONS to ME:

Be holy and blameless.

Be to the praise of His glory.

Hear the Word of truth.

How did I miss that?! Because I was looking for directives based upon rules and regulations, rather than my relationship with Jesus. It is so easy for me to measure myself against a list of rules about my actions, like some kind of Ten Commandment checklist. Much harder to inspect my HEART and be honest about the ugliness that I see. Actions are somehow apart from me. Or based upon physical circumstances: I had a bad day or was overly tired, therefore I did (fill in the blank). But to look at my heart, the core of who I am and see dark, forgotten corners of the former me, takes courage that I don’t always have.

And that is why I am thankful for His Glorious Grace.