Thanks For All the Love

Birthdays can be times of reflection. Or not. One of the things that brought me gladness this birthday was the amazing collection of cards I received from people who not only know me, but also love me. Thanks everyone!My birthday musing didn't stop there, however.

I read through Isaiah 35 earlier this evening. I used to think my name very plain and uninteresting when I was a girl growing up. I used to wish I was named Heidi, or something equally exotic. Now I'm glad my parents named me Sharon, because my name is a reminder that I was created to bring glory to the LORD, and also to display the splendour of my God to others.

I would dearly love to walk so closely in "the Way of Holiness", redeemed and ransomed, overtaken with everlasting joy and gladness, as it says in this chapter, and thus have my life bear public evidence of the love and faithfulness of the One True God to others. May the LORD make it so!

I've been memorising Ephesians 1 for the past few weeks. I'll see how I go writing it from memory, and as you read it, watch for all the times Paul writes of God receiving praise because of what He has done.

Ephesians 1:1-14:

Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God,

To the saints in Ephesus, the faithful in Christ Jesus.

Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, for he has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will - to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgivenness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding. And he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, to be put into effect when the times will have reached their fulfilment - to bring all things in heaven and on earth together under one head, even Christ.

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 hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory. And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having 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.

I am really enjoying learning this passage of Scripture. (I went back and edited the punctuation, I haven't quite memorised that yet, but from the whole fourteen verses, other than the last two which I am still learning, I only missed one phrase, now edited back in). And you can see why I was so excited to read Isaiah 35 today, when I just happened to chance upon it as I opened my Bible.

Thanks God, for the message of love you sent me today. I love you too! May your name be praised in all the world, and may your glory know no bounds. Amen.