…in accordance with His pleasure and will… Ephesians 1:5, 9
One Friday night, my oldest son, newly independent as a working adult, drove in for a weekend visit from the upstate of SC. His mom, sister, brother, and I were thrilled, rushing outside to welcome him. As we greeted him, my eyes were drawn to the dim glow of his car’s headlights. The plastic housing was clouded, weathered by years of sun exposure. As his father, I could not ignore the problem—it wasn’t safe for him to drive in the dark with low visibility. My heart was stirred towards his well-being, and I resolved to fix it before he returned home.
The next morning, I set out to work on his car in the garage, sanding and polishing the headlamps to restore their clarity. My son wandered in, curious, and asked what I was doing. I pointed out the oxidation dulling the lenses and explained how I was addressing it. He watched, then pitched in, and after a while, he said, “Thanks, Dad, for taking care of this. I’ll be able to see much better at night.” I smiled and replied, “My pleasure, son.” It truly was—this father’s joy to help his child.
This moment reminds me of the spiritual blessings Paul describes in Ephesians chapter 1. God’s inspired Word tells us that those who surrender themselves by faith and follow Christ are lavished with every spiritual blessing: chosen to be holy and blameless in His sight, adopted into His family, redeemed through His Son’s blood, forgiven of sins, granted wisdom and understanding, and entrusted with the mystery of His will. Twice in the first nine verses (vs.5 & 9), Paul emphasizes that God freely bestows these gifts “in accordance with His pleasure and will.”
You see, God, who is infinitely greater and more loving than any earthly father, freely gives to and delights in His children (Psalm 18:19). That’s just who He is! His compassion and kindness just flow out of His heart (Ex 34:6). There’s a readiness to bless (Ps 86:5). It gives Him great pleasure (Ps 149:4). If you have transferred your trust to Jesus already, allow yourself to bask in God’s smile over you this week! And then pass a blessing on to someone else.😊 If you’re not yet part of God’s family but sense a stirring in your soul, reach out to a local church or our team at Focused Living. It would be our pleasure to discuss God’s life-giving solution for you that He is pleased to offer.
Jason Yarborough
Focused Living Servant Leader