Are you OVERWHELMED?? We often experience this in daily life, don’t we? We know what it is to be overwhelmed, sometimes crushed under the burdens and challenges of life in this groaning, fallen world.
But let me encourage you to think of being overwhelmed in a completely different way than we normally do. While there’s no denying the difficult things we often face, there is also no denying that God Almighty, the “Father of Glory” (Eph. 1:17), would have us be OVERWHELMED at the wonder of His greatness, goodness, and grace in Jesus Christ!!
In Eph. 1-3, the Apostle Paul is clearly overwhelmed with wonder and awe before God and in view of the riches of His grace. Paul opens this great letter by bursting forth with adoration and praise:
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places…” (Eph. 1:3)
As Paul’s words unfold from this starting point, you quickly sense that he’s beside himself with amazement at the glory of God and the goodness of His grace. He simply can’t find enough adjectives, enough superlatives, to adequately describe the overwhelming reality of God and His glorious grace in Jesus!
Paul was certainly much like King David, who likewise was often overwhelmed by the knowledge of God and His grace. Consider the beginning of Psalm 103, which sets the focus for all that follows:
“Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless His holy name! Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits…” (Ps. 103:1-2)
Beloved, whatever your circumstances and cares may be this day…even this moment…God calls you to look to Him by faith, rejoice in Him, and praise His glorious name. Take some specific, undistracted time to Look to His word – His revelation of His glory – and ask Him to help you be overwhelmed, amazed, and in awe of all He is, and all the blessings He’s given in Jesus Christ.
Remember: a “worthy walk” (Eph. 4:1), is first and foremost a walk of praise – being more and more overwhelmed in the knowledge of God’s glorious grace. Let’s keep praying for, and encouraging one another in these ways!
Because Christ lives, and is returning,
Greg