The Unseen Crown

I am in the midst of studying the book of Ephesians with a group of women at my church. Wow, what an awesome book of the bible! From these pages of scripture, I just have to tell you...

We are rich, my friends! In fact, Ephesians 1 goes into detail of just how wealthy we are in Him. The verses in this passage present to the reader all the spiritual blessings we have in our possession TODAY.

In order to illustrate this wealth that's ours, imagine with me that you are wearing a CROWN on your head. (After all, Psalm 8:5 does say, He crowns us with glory and majesty.) And now in this crown, think of radiant jewels of all kinds...the ones that are expressed in Ephesians 1:3-14:

1. The jewel of being HIS. Before the creation of the world...you were God's delightful thought.
2. The jewel of being ADOPTED. According to His pleasure...He and all of heaven rejoiced when you became His child through faith.
3. The jewel of being REDEEMED. Through His blood...you were purchased, "polished", and prized.
4. The jewel of being FORGIVEN. Through His lavish love...yourpast, present, and future sins are gone.
5. The jewel of A REVEALED MYSTERY...which is Jesus Christ Himself, your kindhearted Ruler.
6. The jewel of AN INHERITANCE... which is your eternal hope to the praise of His glory.
7. The jewel of A SEALED PLEDGE...which is the Holy Spirit of promise...in you...to teach, comfort, provide, help, and protect.

Do you feel the weight of this wealth that rests upon your head? Are you wearing this crown with humbled awe and gratitude, understanding that you had nothing to do with this abundant generosity? Your passionate and pursuing God gracefully placed this crown on your head, with pleasure.

I have "seen" this crown on a few friends of mine recently:

One friend has been hit hard with a debilitating physical ailment, but he wears his crown perseveringly. Another young friend has grown up against all odds, fatherless, but he wears his crown valiantly.
And one more friend, has been invaded by the uninvited guest of disease, but she wears her crown faith-fully.

These friends inspire me; they make me KNOW that there is MORE TO LIFE than this physical "seen" life. They make me want to wear my unseen crown with confidence in a loving God who gives jewel after jewel after jewel in every circumstance of life, blessing or trial.

In all seasons, let's hear the encouragement from our Kind King:

You are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, people of God's own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you our of darkness into His marvelous light. 
I Peter 2:9