I was sitting in my comfy chair (my grandparents bought it years ago, and I cannot part with it), drinking my first cup of coffee of the morning. It was early. Very. Izzy—our Bernese Mountain dog—hopped off the couch and came over to sit beside me. (All things are new in the morning for her.)
As I was petting her—so thankful for such a loving creature God created—I began to pray, and I thought how grateful I was to have this day of life that Yahweh had made for us.
And my mind suddenly went to one thing:
How much the Lord of Heaven loves us. Not in a distant, general way—but personally.
This verse came back to me:
“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.”
(Ephesians 1:4)
Before the heavens and the earth were created… God already had a plan. And that plan was not random favoritism. The words “in him” matter—God chose Christ first, the Beloved Redeemer, and declared that all who belong to his son would be brought near—forgiven, made clean, and adopted into his family—sons and daughters of the Most High.
After the Garden, after the rebellion of angels, even after Babel—He didn’t let go. He gave his only begotten son so his people could live with him forever.
His purpose was never invented at the last minute. It has always been there:
“…according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began,”
(2 Timothy 1:9)
And I think of this:
“O LORD, thou hast searched me, and known me…”
(Psalm 139:1)
He knows us. He chose us in love. And if we’re Christ’s, then we’re held inside a love that began before the foundation of the world. Joint heirs with him.
That’s why, when you walk into the home of a fellow believer, you feel like you’re home. Because you are.
Gratitude,
Anthony Barbera
How Much Does God Love You?
I was sitting in my comfy chair (my grandparents bought it years ago, and I cannot part with it), drinking my first cup of coffee of the morning. It was early. Very. Izzy—our Bernese Mountain dog—hopped off the couch and came over to sit beside me. (All things are new in the morning for her.)
As I was petting her—so thankful for such a loving creature God created—I began to pray, and I thought how grateful I was to have this day of life that Yahweh had made for us.
And my mind suddenly went to one thing:
How much the Lord of Heaven loves us. Not in a distant, general way—but personally.
This verse came back to me:
“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.”
(Ephesians 1:4)
Before the heavens and the earth were created… God already had a plan. And that plan was not random favoritism. The words “in him” matter—God chose Christ first, the Beloved Redeemer, and declared that all who belong to his son would be brought near—forgiven, made clean, and adopted into his family—sons and daughters of the Most High.
After the Garden, after the rebellion of angels, even after Babel—He didn’t let go. He gave his only begotten son so his people could live with him forever.
His purpose was never invented at the last minute. It has always been there:
“…according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began,”
(2 Timothy 1:9)
And I think of this:
“O LORD, thou hast searched me, and known me…”
(Psalm 139:1)
He knows us. He chose us in love. And if we’re Christ’s, then we’re held inside a love that began before the foundation of the world. Joint heirs with him.
That’s why, when you walk into the home of a fellow believer, you feel like you’re home. Because you are.
Gratitude,
Anthony Barbera
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