According As He Hath Chosen Us In Him Before The Foundation Of The World, That We Should Be Holy And Without Blame Before Him In Love - Part 2472

"For all this His anger is not turned away ... but His hand is stretched out still!" (Isaiah 5:25; Isaiah 9:17)

His hand is stretched out still, searching throughout the land for hearts that will focus on His abundance of love and kindness for His beloved. So much so, was His love that from the foundation of the world, God made a plan of salvation that included His hand stretched out still!

Indeed, after His kindness and love, the love of God our Saviour, toward man appeared; who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us form all iniquity and purify unto Himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works. (Titus 3:4-7; I Timothy 3:16) And in so doing, we who love Him with all our soul, mind, heart and strength, have become His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. (Ephesians 2:10)

"According as He hath chosen us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love; having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, wherein He hath made us accepted in the beloved ... in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace, wherein He hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence, having made known unto us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure -- which He hath purposed in Himself." (Ephesians 1:4-9)

Why would the same God who created the world and all its inhabitants make a way of salvation when there was no way? Working all things after the counsel of His own will? That He who created the world in the beginning would later venture into this same world, hands outstretched, inviting us to take hold of His love so that we might have a personal relationship with Him -- our Lord God and Saviour Jesus the Christ? (John 1:10-11)

The answer? So that we (as apostle Paul writes) should be to the praise of His glory, who first trusted in Christ, that in the dispensation of the fullness of times, He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth -- in Him.

"But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were afar off are made nigh by the blood of Christ, for He is our peace, who hath broken down the middle wall of partition between [us and Him]; having abolished in the flesh the enmity, the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in Himself of twain one new man, so making peace; and that He might reconcile both unto God in one body, by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby; and came and preached peace to you who are afar off and to them that were nigh ... for through Him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father." (Ephesians 2:13-18)

Yes, Jesus -- our all in all -- inviting us still to take hold of His love and mercy and kindness; His grace, wherein He has given unto every one of us a measure of the gift of Christ, so that we can be complete in Him -- who is the I AM -- the Way, the Truth, and the Life! (John 14:6)

Ask Jesus to become Lord in your heart today. Find a new testament Bible and start learning about the King of kings and Lord of lords, who is the Alpha and Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the ending. Take your rightful place in His body of Christ church, wherein the Lord Jesus is the Head, giving thanks unto all things, rejoicing continually in Him, speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord.

Stand in the offering plate.