EZEKIEL 37:23 – They shall not defile themselves anymore with their idols and their detestable things, or with any of their transgressions. But I will save them from all the backslidings in which they have sinned and will cleanse them; and they shall be my people, and I will be their God.

THEME OF THE DAY. LIFE’S TWO GREATEST PRIVILEGES. A very good practice in life is frequently take time to consider all the blessings God gives to us. The list is long so please take extended time to do this. If we do, a couple of things will happen in our hearts. First, humility will blossom. When we ponder the overflowing number of blessings from God, we cannot help but be humbled for His generosity, and especially knowing we deserve none of them. Another thing will occur in our hearts; a spirit of thanksgiving develops. We will live our lives with the mark of being Spirit-filled and Spirit-controlled Christians; thanksgiving to God for His abundant grace and love – “Give thanks in all circumstances for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you” (1 Thessalonians 5:18) and “And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ” (Ephesians 5:18-21). But in remembering all of God’s blessings in our lives, don’t forget to ponder two of life’s greatest privileges He gives us. These far extend in value and preciousness anything we get from Him. These are relational privileges starting in this life and extending into eternity. Unlike the many temporal blessings we receive from the Lord, the relational privileges never grow old and end. They are identified in today’s scripture.

First, God grants us the privilege to be called His own – “they shall be My people.” Oh, friends, be overwhelmed by this privilege – God owns us, not only by creation, but as His children made so by the Gospel of His Son, the Lord Jesus. The Apostle Paul makes this his first point of emphasis when he details all the riches of our salvation in Christ. In his letter to the Ephesians, he writes – “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, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love, he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will” (Ephesians 1:3-5). Let the privilege of being God’s chosen child in His forever family be the strongest motivator to live a holy life before a watching world. The strength, even effectiveness, of our witness for the Lord Jesus will be how much we are taking on “family traits” in the likeness of Him who calls us “My people.”

The next greatest privilege in our lives is as thrilling as the first. God allows us to own Him – “I will be their God.” Throughout the scriptures, God is willing to be “owned” by His people in relationship, not only as a Father, but sovereign protector and Good Shepherd. But notice I didn’t say, “Used or taken for granted.” We own God because He owns us by creation and redemption and our owning of Him is not for self-serving ends, but for self-denying relationship. And this is a big deal with our Lord. The first words Jesus said to Mary Magdalene after His resurrection was “Do not cling to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to my brothers and say to them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God’ ” (John 20:17). As we grasp that God is not ashamed to be called “Our God”, we grow in confidence in our relationship with Him; a confidence in praying, witnessing, and representing Him to the world. May God help us embrace life’s greatest privileges and make them cherished and guarded.

PRAYER: “Father, I praise You for allowing me to call You ‘My God’ and to be called ‘Your child’.”

QUOTE: “Think often of life’s two greatest privileges and then live up to them each day of life.”