Last summer brought immense joy to my life as a mother. My son, Mark, embarked on a beautiful journey of marriage with a wonderful, God-fearing young woman. Our family played heartfelt roles in their wedding celebration; my husband officiated, Mark’s twin brother stood as best man, and my other sons served as groomsmen. For me, witnessing it all was a moment filled with tears of joy and immense pride, culminating in the cherished mother-son dance.
When Mark asked about my chosen song for our dance, my response was immediate and from the heart: “I Hope You Dance” by Lee Ann Womack. Among my four sons, Mark and I share a unique kinship in our personalities – both adventurous and thoughtful, capable yet grounded. As we swayed to the music, I expressed my love and my deepest wish for him: to live a life of freedom as a child of God. The song’s lyrics resonated deeply with this sentiment: “I hope you never lose your sense of wonder… never fear those mountains in the distance… when you get the choice to sit it out or dance… dance.” As his mother, my most profound hope for Mark is that he embraces the liberty of living as God intended – loved, forgiven, chosen, redeemed, blessed, and holy.
This love, these hopes, and these dreams I hold for my children are universal to parenthood. If we, as imperfect humans, harbor such deep longings for our offspring, imagine the magnitude of desire our perfect, holy Heavenly Father holds for us.
Take a moment to slowly read through Ephesians 1:3-14, paying close attention to the words God uses to describe YOU, His beloved child. Which words particularly stand out? Can you feel the depth of God’s love, His boundless grace, and the profound truth that He chose YOU? Do you live in the reality of this truth?
Verses 11 and 12 of Ephesians in The Message translation beautifully articulate this: “It’s in Christ that we find out who we are and what we are living for. Long before we first heard of Christ and got our hopes up, he had his eye on us, had designs on us for glorious living, part of the overall purpose he is working out in everything and everyone.”
The powerful phrase “in Christ” or “in Him” appears eight times within these twelve verses. This repetition underscores a profound truth: we are designed to live freely in Christ, as God’s chosen people. What an incredible revelation!
This week, choose one word from Ephesians 1:3-14 that resonates with you. Ask God to deepen your understanding and belief in this truth, and then to empower you to live it out. He hopes you dance – in faith, in joy, and in freedom.
