Inexplicable!

Thursday, July 28, 2022

The other day I went to bed, forgetting to take out my earrings. That usually isn’t a big deal. Usually. The next morning, shortly after breakfast, while brushing my teeth, I noticed one of my earrings was missing.

The search began. I looked under my bed covers and ran my hand slowly along the bed sheets on my side of the bed and even part of Tim’s. The earring was small and I didn’t want to miss not seeing or feeling it. It wasn’t there. Next, I searched the floor around the bed, again coming up with nothing. Very disappointed I went off to get some work done. If there was another place I should look, I was clueless.

Tim figured it would show up sometime. I hoped he was right as it was one of my favorite earrings, also a recent gift from him.

That evening, shortly after Tim went to bed, he came back out to the living room. “Honey, look what I found…” He was holding the missing earring.

“Where did you find it?” I asked, very grateful it had been found. He hadn’t been in the bedroom that long.

“It was just lying there on top of the quilt. I just happened to see it.” He replied placing it on my desk. He headed back to bed.

“Wow,” I commented more to myself and went to get it. The backing was missing, but I had extra’s of those. It wasn’t a fancy one, just one of those clear rubber backings.

The next morning, I was brushing my teeth when I noticed something clear and tiny off in a far corner of my sink counter, right next to my diffuser. I reached for it and was surprised to see it was the backing of my earring. Of all places, how did it get there? No idea! Inexplicable!

Life is full of strange, unexplainable things. One thing that continually baffles and blows me away is the fact that “He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved” (Ephesians 1:4-6 but I recommend you reading the rest of the chapter).

Did you see all the goodies in just those 3 verses? First off, He chose us not the other way around. John 16:16 says, “You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you…” Furthermore, John 6:44 clearly states, “No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him.” The truth of the matter is, if He had never got my attention, I would never have given my life over to Him. I ask myself all the time, “Why me?” That totally baffles me, but I am so grateful He did!

Secondly, “He chose me before the foundation of the world…having predestined us.” He knew from the beginning of time that I would be born. He knew all about me from beginning to end, still He chose me. Again, I have to ask myself, “Why?” I am so grateful it’s not about me but all about HIM! If I can do anything with eternal value, it’s because of Him. Now isn’t that mind boggling! It’s amazing! He is amazing! Can I hear an AMEN?

Thirdly, is the fact that “we should be holy and without blame before Him”. In myself, I am not a holy and blameless person. I am just a sinner saved by grace. It’s because of what the Lord Jesus Christ did for me at the cross, when He took my sin upon Him, and died for me. He took the punishment I deserved. Right before He died He cried, “It is finished” (John 19:30) declaring my debt had been paid in full! Though I hadn’t been born yet, the debt for sin was paid once for all time. Incredible!

Fourthly, is the fact that He adopted us “as sons (and daughters) by Jesus Christ”. When we put our trust in who Jesus is and what He did for us, we are no longer condemned. John 3:17-18 says, “For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world but that the world through Him might be saved. He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.” Instead, we become a part of the Family of God. Galatians 4:7 puts it this way, “Therefore you are no longer a slave (to sin) but a son, and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.” What an amazing privilege to be declared no longer condemned and now a part of the family of God!

Furthermore, fifthly, its “according to the good pleasure of His will.” He took actual pleasure in doing this for us. Pleasure is defined as “a source of enjoyment or delight.” Wow, again. It overwhelms my mind. I can’t even begin to explain it.

So why did He do all this (number six)?  “To the praise of the glory of His grace.” This should be actually two things… His glory (splendor, holiness, majesty) and His grace (unmerited favor)! There is no reason on earth why He chose us, He paid the debt we could NEVER pay, and He takes pleasure in us. No reason on earth! It’s all for His glory and to demonstrate His amazing grace. Romans 5:8 states, “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” This goes far beyond earth, that’s why it’s all about our HEAVENLY Father, and not about us.

Lastly, though I am sure you can fine even more, “He made us accepted.” Accepted: to give admittance or approval of something (Merriam-Webster Dictionary). If you have ever applied for a school, any kind of scholarship, job or position somewhere, you know the feeling when you are told your application has been approved. Think of it this way, when you commit to someone in marriage. You say, “I do” and rejoice when your partner says the same. That NOW spouse knew all about you and yet still chose to marry you. What an incredible picture of acceptance. You know, you can hide a lot from your spouse before marriage, but you can’t hide anything from God, who created you. He knew everything and still He put His stamp of approval on you. Psalm 139:16-17 declares, “Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed. And in Your book they all were written, the days fashioned for me, when as yet there were none of them. How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God! How great is the sum of them!”

Shouldn’t that just fill you with wonder, amazement and gratitude?

Blessings, Mari