Long before he laid down earth’s foundations, he had us in mind, had settled on us as the focus of his love, to be made whole and holy by his love.
Ephesians 1:4 MSG

Throughout the Balm of Gilead, it has been my desire to present to you Jesus, the only One who can make you whole.  It has been my aim to walk together with you as we become whole through finding the Truth of the Living Word.  As I was reading this scripture, I found that it has been God’s desire since before the very beginnings of the earth.  God has desired that we be made whole and holy. 
I find something else in that scripture…He had settled on us as the focus of His love.  As I read that, some very important truths began to leap out at me.  Let me break that part of the scripture down and explain to you what He has shown me.

1.  He…the God of the universe.  The creator of heaven and earth.  The maker of all that is seen and not seen.  It is important first to recognize Him because the Bible also says that anyone who comes to Him must first believe that He is.   If you do not believe that first, then nothing else He says after that means anything.  This is why atheists refuse to believe anything God says.  In order to be saved, you must first believe that there is a God.  Then you must believe He wants to save you.  Then you have to believe that He has the power to save you.  Do you believe???

2.  had settled…in the mind of God, He determined it at a previous time.  When an account is settled, it is finished.  No need to go back and pull it up again.  God settled it in His mind.  Think of it this way, God finished thinking about who or why He should love.  There was no more discussion.  He settled it in His mind and we should settle it in ours. 

3.  On us…there was nothing else He focused on but you and me.  Nothing else in creation meant more to Him than we did. If you look around and see the vast expanse of the universe and then out of this cosmic beauty God would settle on a seemingly small part of His creation.  You my friend are who God has settled on.  No wonder His Word says that no thing would be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ.   When we think about all that He could want and yet He chose to be with us, it’s pretty humbling but it also gives us a great security.  If God be for us, tell me who can stand against us?
 
4.  the focus…many guys are accused of ignoring everything else when a football game is on.  They can zero in on that game and nothing around them matters.  While God can certainly keep His attention on anything and everything at the same time, He is also able to focus on the one part of His creation that He desires.  It’s as if God is putting you in His sights and can’t see anything else.  Of course God sees everything but He has a focus that is determined on you! 

of His love…oh how I love Jesus, because He first loved me.  Friend, have you ever been the direct object of someone’s love?  Have you ever been the focus of an overwhelming love?  Maybe not in the natural but you HAVE been the direct recipient of an overwhelming love.  A love that will not let you go.  A love that spans space and time and before you were even thought of in the human sense, loved you enough to lay aside the privilege of deity to make sure you could have an intimate relationship with Him.  If in the natural you have had someone that totally loved you without condition or regret, consider yourself blessed.  Take that love and multiply it by a billion and you haven’t even scratched the surface of God’s love for you.  Don’t believe the lies….He chose to love you and He still loves you. 
And what was the purpose of this love that He has settled in His mind to pour onto you?  It was so that through His over abundant love for you and I, that we should be whole and holy.  You have lack of nothing.  You aren’t missing pieces.  There isn’t anything you need because the Lord is my shepherd, I lack for nothing!  He has made you holy, not by the righteous acts that you have done but through the atonement of Jesus Christ.  Through the blood of Christ, we now wear robes of righteousness. 
Ephesians 1.6 sums up this thought for me.  Why did He to it?  It was because of the glory of His grace.  How did He did it?  He did it by making us accepted in the Beloved.  God knew every sin you would commit before you were ever born and yet He still chose to accept you.  How could you ever deny that love?  Don’t discount it or throw it away.  Hear God’s heart for you!

THAT’S GOOD NEWS

to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved.
Ephesians 1.6