Our small tour group of 15 moseyed down the long sloping corridor as we exited the Vatican Museum. Along the way we noticed a queue of hopeful people backed up behind a security guard. Only those select few people with the appropriate papers were allowed to pass.
Our group asked our tour guide about this.
“Oh,” replied our tour guide, “they are hoping to get a ticket to attend the blessing of the Pope tomorrow.”
We turned a corner and … Whoa! I guess the Pope is indeed giving a blessing tomorrow!
Here you can see the view out over St. Peter’s Square from the top of the steps where the Pope will be speaking.
And of course, notice the covered platform/canopy from which the Pope will be speaking.
As I looked out over all those chairs where all those hopeful people will be the special chosen few to receive a ticket to the Pope’s blessing, I couldn’t help thinking of the opening verses of the book of Ephesians:
“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ.” (Ephesians 1:3)
If we have accepted Jesus’s free gift of salvation for our sins … then we too are blessed! God himself blesses us!
Is this not mind-blowing?!
We don’t have to wait in a long queue. We don’t have to wonder if we will be the special chosen few to receive a ticket for God’s blessing. Ephesians1:4 tells us that God himself has chosen us – “For he chose us in him before the creation of the world.” We are chosen!
Is this not mind-blowing?!
We were chosen by God before this world was even created … to receive a blessing from God himself.
If we were sitting here in these chairs to receive the blessing of God himself … what is the blessing which God gives to us??
Ephesians 1:4-8 tells us:
* God blesses us with holiness. We don’t have to be sinful anymore. Jesus paid the penalty for our sin, therefore God gives us the blessing of being holy and clean from our sin.
* God gives us the blessing of being blameless. All those bad things we have done … God forgives them. God erases them. God doesn’t hold them against us. Because Jesus paid the penalty for our sin, God forever takes away our sin and makes us blameless. Now that right there is a blessing!
* God blesses us by adopting us into his family as his kids. It gives God pleasure to adopt us into his family as his kids. It is God’s will that we are adopted into his family as his kids. It brings God praise that we are adopted into his family as his kids!
* God blesses us with grace. We don’t get the punishment we deserve because of our sin and all the bad things we’ve done. God gives us grace. God freely gives us grace. Now that right there is a blessing!
* God blesses us with redemption. We are redeemed and rescued from our sin.
* God blesses us with forgiveness. We are forgiven from all the bad things we have ever done.
* God blesses us with peace. (Ephesians 1:2)
* God blesses us with the Holy Spirit to indwell us and guide us through life.
Would you like to receive a blessing from God himself?
You don’t have to travel to Rome. You don’t have to wait in a long queue. You don’t have to wonder if you will be one of the select few who is chosen.
There is a chair right here waiting for you.
There is a blessing from God waiting for you.
God is more than happy to give this blessing to everyone! There are more than enough seats for everyone to receive a blessing from God.
“For whoever will call upon the name of the Lord will be saved.” – Romans 10:13
Check that out … that verse right there was written to the ancient people of Rome back in the first century AD. The very same Rome. All people are welcome to receive the blessing God has to give. Ancient people of Rome back in the first century AD. And people of today.
People who currently live in Rome right now. And people from far away who have traveled halfway around the globe to visit.
All people are invited to receive the blessing of God himself. There’s enough room for everyone!
Have you received the blessing from God?
