Weekly Devotional: April 22, 2026
GOD’S WORD
EPHESIANS 1:6-10
"In Him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of Him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of His will, in order that we, who were the first to put our hope in Christ, might be for the praise of His glory. And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation.
When you believed, you were marked in Him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession to the praise of His glory."
DEVOTIONAL BY
This eight-week series will be excerpts from the late Lt. Colonel Allen Satterlee's book “Heavenly Places Revealed"
“LAVISHED ON US”
Riches
In west Texas there is an oil field called Yates Pool. Originally a sheep ranch, Mr. Yates couldn't scratch out enough of a living to avoid being on government assistance. One day, a crew from an oil company asked if they could drill a well. He agreed. At 1,115 feet, they hit a huge reserve that had the potential of producing 125,000 barrels of oil a day. While Yates was on welfare, he was really a multi-millionaire. He simply didn't know it.
Paul did not want the Ephesians to be unaware of the riches that they had in Christ. He declares that what they have, "He has freely given us in the One He loves." When our heart bows to Him and receives the gift of salvation, we are only scratching the surface of what our legacy is in Him. It is not held by some trustee that begrudges us access to what is ours but given to us freely. We are rich beyond measure, which makes the spiritual poverty of so many believers that much more tragic.
What do we have?
Redemption Through His Blood
Paul was familiar with the Jewish religious tradition of sacrifices and offerings. When one sacrifice or offering was given, another one was due for something else. In front of the Temple in Jerusalem, a line snaked through the streets composed of those offering their lambs, cows, goats, and birds. The blood trickled endlessly down from an altar that was never satisfied. The worshippers would have to come back and do it again. For those who had worshipped other gods it was even worse. It wasn't one god who demanded satisfaction but scores of them, each with his or her own specialty that the worshipper had to satisfy.
Here we stand in grace where we have redemption, not through some little innocent animal, but through the Son of God Himself. Only a small number of people actually saw His blood flow on that Good Friday, but all the world can experience its cleansing. We need not see it to have it work in our hearts.
The forgiveness of sins does not come as a trickle, forcing us to lap our tongues on the drops of grace that dribble out. No—it is lavish. Not drops but a waterfall; not pennies but a king's ransom; not a croaking whisper but a great symphony. In our walk with the Lord, we are not forced to go to God and beg Him for a morsel. He has a feast before us with our dishes refilled before we can eat what's there.
All Wisdom and Understanding
Wisdom is the application of knowledge while understanding is grasping the fundamentals. These gifts are in place so that we not only experience what God is doing in us, but also consider what is happening within us and what our place is in the plan of God. Humans possess the unique ability to think about thinking, unknown in the animal kingdom. We can, in a sense, stand outside of ourselves and consider what is going on within us. God impacts us with that gift as we stand in wonder of His work in our lives.
Then there is His guidance so we can choose what is right, discern what comes to us by seeing and hearing with the mind of Christ. The Holy Spirit is our teacher and director so that we can move forward with confidence.
The Mystery of His Will
The Jewish people had a distinct advantage over the rest of humanity in that centuries earlier, God had brought them close so they could see and understand what He was doing in the world. But even they could not perceive what the full expanse of His will was.
He worked through the Jewish people, but if things had gone as they ought, they would have become the conduit as God reached out for the redemption of the whole world. Instead, they largely held it tight to their chests, glorying in their favored place.
The mystery revealed, and one which Paul constantly marveled at, was that salvation was for every child of Adam's race. The Gentiles were not just welcome but sought after to join the family of God. Nor would it be that there would be different branches in this family. Instead, there would be but one family, one new people of God. The schism that had been the source of so much hatred and envy and warfare was healed by the scarred hands of Christ.
But there is more to this. Paul says that it was to "bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ." The schism between Jews and Gentiles was great, but the divide between heaven and earth was greater. We recall that in the Garden of Eden, God walked there to commune with our first parents. The way between heaven and earth was open, but when the Fall happened, the door slammed shut. God would not have sin in His heaven, so humankind was barred access.
But in Christ, that barrier has been broken down. The angels likely were amazed that God maintained interest in the tainted creation, the pathetic creatures that groveled through generations, seeming to learn nothing along the way. Those same angels likely felt their hearts break as they watched the Son of God cruelly treated, betrayed, abandoned, and then tortured until His last breath left Him.
But now, to find that the humanity that had been such a disappointment was unified with heaven again! What wonder! Who but God could show such lavish love? Who but God could conceive of such a story? Who but God could unify that which had been so far removed?
DISCUSSION QUESTION
- How had the sacrificial system showed both separation from God and His desire to have communion with people?
- Think about how God has worked in your life. What has surprised you? What do you think He is doing with you now?
- Why is God's unifying work described as a mystery?