Tag Archive for: Ephesians 1:7

The Songs Mama Sang

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Ephesians 1:7 — He is so rich in kindness and grace that he purchased our freedom with the blood of his Son and forgave our sins. 

I can still smell the butter beans simmering on the stove.

And the pot roast browning in the kitchen.

Growing up in Tallulah, Louisiana, our kitchen wasn’t very big, but somehow, Mom always managed to fill it with the most wonderful smells.

And if she was making her famous rice and gravy, well, you could count on finding me somewhere nearby, waiting impatiently for supper.

But there was something else that filled that little kitchen.

Music.

You see, Mom loved to sing while she cooked.

And not just any songs.

She sang the old hymns.

“At the Cross.”

“What a Friend We Have in Jesus.”

“The Old Rugged Cross.”

I can still hear her voice.

And isn’t it funny how a song can take you back?

All these years later, I can hear one of those hymns and suddenly I’m that little girl again, standing in Mom’s kitchen, waiting for supper.

But lately, something has changed.

I’m listening to those songs differently.

Especially the ones about the Cross.

You know, I’ve known about Jesus’ death and resurrection for as long as I can remember.

I’ve celebrated Easter.

I’ve heard the sermons.

I’ve sung the songs.

But lately, during my quiet time with God, I’ve found myself thinking more deeply about what happened on that Cross.

Not just the familiar story.

But the reality of it.

Jesus.

The Son of God.

Suffering.

Bleeding.

Giving His life.

For me.

And sometimes, when I sit quietly and think about that, it almost takes my breath away.

Because the Cross wasn’t just something that happened a long time ago. It was the price of my freedom.

Ephesians 1:7 says, “He is so rich in kindness and grace that he purchased our freedom with the blood of his Son and forgave our sins.”

Think about those words.

Purchased our freedom.

Forgave our sins.

And not because we’d earned it.

Not because we’d somehow managed to be good enough.

But because God is so rich in kindness and grace.

You know, we talk a lot about generosity.

About giving what we have.

About making sacrifices for the people we love.

But when I think about the Cross, I realize that every act of love we offer is only a small reflection of the love Jesus has already shown us.

He didn’t give us something He could spare.

He gave Himself.

And through His sacrifice, He made a way for us to be forgiven, redeemed, and brought into a relationship with God.

That’s a gift we could never afford.

And one we could never repay.

But we can receive it.

We can live in gratitude for it.

And we can allow that love to change the way we love others.

I think that’s what has been stirring in my heart lately.

The more I understand what Jesus gave for me, the more I want my own life to reflect His love.

Not because I’m trying to earn His approval.

But because I’ve already been given more grace than I could ever deserve.

And now, when I hear those old hymns, I hear something I didn’t fully understand as a little girl.

Back then, I heard Mama singing while she made supper.

Today, I hear her singing about the Savior who gave His life for mine.

About forgiveness.

About grace.

About a love so great that it went all the way to the Cross.

And suddenly, those familiar songs mean more than they ever have before.

So the next time you hear an old hymn about the Cross, don’t let it become just another familiar song.

Listen a little closer.

Think about what Jesus gave.

Think about what His sacrifice means for you.

And let your heart be filled with gratitude.

Because all those years ago, in that little kitchen in Tallulah, Mama wasn’t just singing hymns while she cooked supper.

She was singing about the greatest gift I would ever receive.

 

A MOMENT TO REFLECT

  • Is there a hymn or worship song that brings back a special memory of someone who helped shape your faith?
  • When you think about Jesus’ sacrifice on the Cross, what part of His love and grace moves you most deeply?
  • Ephesians 1:7 says our freedom and forgiveness were purchased through Jesus’ blood. How does that change the way you view God’s grace?
  • Have familiar Bible stories or worship songs ever taken on a deeper meaning during a particular season of your life?
  • How can remembering what Jesus gave for you influence the way you love and serve others today?

QUESTION TO CARRY WITH YOU TODAY

Have I become so familiar with the story of the Cross that I’ve forgotten to stand in awe of what Jesus did for me?

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The Hardest Person to Forgive

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Ephesians 1:7 — In Him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace 

Forgiveness.

Is it harder to forgive others… or yourself?

Especially when you’ve done something you can’t seem to justify—something that doesn’t match who you thought you were.

I’ve always seen myself as a good friend. Loyal. The kind of person who shows up with a casserole and stays late to help clean up.

Not a backstabber.

But if I’m honest, there’s a moment in my life that didn’t look like that at all.

It started with a job posting.

It was a great opportunity—good pay, solid position. But I wasn’t even that interested… until a friend told me she wanted it. And suddenly, I did too.

Human nature is tricky like that.

So I applied. And I didn’t tell her.

People do this all the time, I told myself. We’re both qualified. No harm in trying.

But the moment I got the interview call, something shifted.

My stomach dropped.

What kind of friend am I?

Deep down, I knew—I would probably get the job.

So I turned it down.

I told the employer they didn’t need me. They needed her.

And they hired her.

Praise God.

But even after that, the guilt stuck around.

So I went to my friend and told her everything. She was hurt—and rightfully so. But I owned it. I asked for forgiveness.

And over time, she gave it.

The harder part came later.

Forgiving myself.

What I had to come to terms with was this: I had already repented. And because of that, Christ had already extended mercy.

In Him, I already had redemption.

My debt was paid in full. My sin forgiven—not because I earned it, but because His grace is rich.

Not thin. Not hesitant. Not running out.

Rich.

And forgiving myself didn’t mean pretending it never happened.

It meant agreeing with God that it’s already been covered.

I’ll mess up again. I know that now.

But I also know this:

I don’t have to carry my failures longer than God does.

So I’m done rehearsing the guilt.

I’m going to keep showing up—with the casserole.

Maybe there’s something you’re still holding against yourself.

Something you’ve already confessed. Something God has already forgiven.

You don’t have to excuse it. You don’t have to erase it.

But you can set it down.

Because grace has already covered it.

And sometimes, the last person who needs to forgive you…

is you.

 

A MOMENT TO REFLECT

  • Is it harder for you to forgive others or yourself? Why?
  • What’s something you may still be holding against yourself that God has already forgiven?
  • What does it mean to you that God’s grace is “rich” and not limited?
  • How can you begin to agree with God instead of your guilt?
  • What would it look like to “set it down” this week?
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There is Power in the Blood

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“In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace.”

Ephesians 1:7

Lewis Edgar Jones had spent years doing all the right things. He worked hard. He was faithful to his church and prayed when he could. And yet, beneath it all, something felt … hollow.

It was not that he doubted God, but deep down, he wondered: Where is the power?

Not just talk. Not just tradition. He needed to know if faith had the power to change things. Could it really reach into the mess of his life and do something about it?

But this week, at the yearly camp meeting, he felt it.

He had not expected to weep the way he had or to feel so undone. But in the presence of Jesus, something deep within him cracked open. Hope had pressed its way back into his heart, alive in a way he had not felt since he was a boy.

But Jones knew revival was not just about what happened here. He thought of the people beyond this place—his coworkers, the folks in the town square, and the families at his church.

His heart ached for them because he knew the question they, like him, were too afraid to ask: Is this real? Can Jesus actually do something in my life?

Yes. A thousand times yes.

The blood of Jesus had changed him. It had given him a hope that no effort, no good works, no routine religion ever could.

So he reached for a scrap of paper and began to write a song. “Would you be free from the burden of sin? There’s power in the blood, power in the blood.”

That night, he sang it softly to himself. It was more than a song. It was a testimony.

Years later, crowds would sing it in unison, and today, that same power still reaches out. To you. To all who long for something real. You do not have to stay the same or figure it out on your own. Come to the One who has never lost His power.

Come to Jesus.

“There is power, power, wonder working power 
In the blood of the Lamb 
There is power, power, wonder working power 
In the precious blood of the Lamb”

 

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