Last summer brought me immense joy as a mother. My son, Mark, married a wonderful, godly young woman. Our whole family participated in the wedding; my husband officiated, Mark’s twin was his best man, and my other sons were groomsmen. My role? To watch with tears and pride, and then cherish the mother-son dance. When Mark asked about the song for our dance, I immediately chose “I Hope You Dance” by Lee Ann Womack. Mark and I share similar personalities – both adventurous yet thoughtful, capable, and composed. As we danced, I whispered my love and my wish for him to live fully as God’s child. The song’s lyrics resonated deeply: “I hope you never lose your sense of wonder… never fear the mountains in the distance… when you get the chance to sit it out or dance… dance.” My deepest desire for Mark, as his mother, is for him to embrace the freedom of living as God intended—loved, forgiven, chosen, redeemed, blessed, and holy.
My hopes and dreams for my children mirror those of many parents. If we, as imperfect humans, hold such aspirations for our kids, how much more does our perfect, holy Father in Heaven desire for us?
Take a moment to slowly read Ephesians 1:3-14. Notice the words God uses to describe YOU, His cherished child. Which words stand out? Do you recognize God’s profound love, His boundless grace, and His choice of YOU? Do you live as though you believe it?
Verses 11 and 12 in The Message translation express it this way: “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 phrase “in Christ” or “in Him” appears eight times within these twelve verses. We are designed to live freely in Christ as God’s chosen—an incredible truth!
This week, select one word from Ephesians 1:3-14 to meditate on. Ask God to deepen your belief in this truth and to guide your life accordingly. He hopes you dance!
Lynette Fuson
Director of Women’s Ministries
