Today’s Daily Bible Reading is written first in the Holman Christian Standard Version of the Bible.  Then I have recorded the reading in the Amplified Version.  If you can, take time to read them both.  The more I read through these verses – in three other versions as well – the more I was overwhelmed by the magnitude of God’s grace and love. Pray with me:  **Holy Spirit, as I read these words that were divinely inspired, please, speak to my heart.  Grant me a fresh insight and passion into these words as they were penned so many years ago.  Thank You.  Amen.  Ephesians 1:1-13 (Holman Christian Standard Bible)  1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by God's will:     To the saints and believers in Christ Jesus at Ephesus.     2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. God's Rich Blessings  3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavens, in Christ; 4 for He chose us in Him, before the foundation of the world, to be holy and blameless in His sight. In love 5 He predestined us to be adopted through Jesus Christ for Himself, according to His favor and will, 6 to the praise of His glorious grace that He favored us with in the Beloved.     7 In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace 8 that He lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding. 9 He made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure that He planned in Him 10 for the administration of the days of fulfillment —to bring everything together in the Messiah, both things in heaven and things on earth in Him.     11 In Him we were also made His inheritance, predestined according to the purpose  of the One who works out everything in agreement with the decision of His will, 12 so that we who had already put our hope in the Messiah might bring praise to His glory.     13 In Him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation—in Him when you believed—were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit. Ephesians 1:1-13 (Amplified Bible)  1PAUL, AN apostle (special messenger) of Christ Jesus (the Messiah), by the divine will (the purpose and the choice of God) to the saints (the consecrated, set-apart ones) at Ephesus who are also faithful and loyal and steadfast in Christ Jesus:     2May grace (God's unmerited favor) and spiritual peace [which means peace with God and harmony, unity, and undisturbedness] be yours from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ.     3May blessing (praise, laudation, and eulogy) be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ (the Messiah) Who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual (given by the Holy Spirit) blessing in the heavenly realm!     4Even as [in His love] He chose us [actually picked us out for Himself as His own] in Christ before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy (consecrated and set apart for Him) and blameless in His sight, even above reproach, before Him in love.     5For He foreordained us (destined us, planned in love for us) to be adopted (revealed) as His own children through Jesus Christ, in accordance with the purpose of His will [because it pleased Him and was His kind intent]--     6[So that we might be] to the praise and the commendation of His glorious grace (favor and mercy), which He so freely bestowed on us in the Beloved.     7In Him we have redemption (deliverance and salvation) through His blood, the remission (forgiveness) of our offenses (shortcomings and trespasses), in accordance with the riches and the generosity of His gracious favor,     8Which He lavished upon us in every kind of wisdom and understanding (practical insight and prudence),     9Making known to us the mystery (secret) of His will (of His plan, of His purpose). [And it is this:] In accordance with His good pleasure (His merciful intention) which He had previously purposed and set forth in Him,     10[He planned] for the maturity of the times and the climax of the ages to unify all things and head them up and consummate them in Christ, [both] things in heaven and things on the earth.     11In Him we also were made [God's] heritage (portion) and we obtained an inheritance; for we had been foreordained (chosen and appointed beforehand) in accordance with His purpose, Who works out everything in agreement with the counsel and design of His [own] will,     12So that we who first hoped in Christ [who first put our confidence in Him have been destined and appointed to] live for the praise of His glory!     13In Him you also who have heard the Word of Truth, the glad tidings (Gospel) of your salvation, and have believed in and adhered to and relied on Him, were stamped with the seal of the long-promised Holy Spirit. God chose me.  Wow… God chose you.  Wow…  Why?  Were we good?  Of course not.  Were we worthy?  Certainly not. Were we loved?  More than we can ever possibly understand. Beloved, there is nothing you can do to earn forgiveness or salvation.  They are free gifts from God.  They are only available because He loved us enough to send His only Son, Jesus, to die in our place – the cruelest death ever known to man. We are coming out of one of the busiest times of the year in our culture.  Ironically, this time of year is set aside to celebrate the birth of our Savior; but most of us, humans, are not busy celebrating His birth.  We are involved and over committed to our own pursuits. Reread the words of Ephesians 1:1-13.  If you had been the only person ever born, Jesus would have died just for you.  If you had been the only person ever born, God the Father would have loved you enough to send His Son to die for you. Can we fathom the depths of that love?  No.  Can we ever hope to understand that kind of unconditional love?  No. Can we accept that love and strive to live up to our calling to be holy and blameless?  Certainly. **Lord Jesus, I am so unworthy of such great love.  Thank You.  Thank You for loving me enough to die for me.  Thank You for loving me enough to live on the earth.  Thank You for sending the Holy Spirit to guide me.  Thank You.  Please enable me to live a holy and blameless life, one that will bring honor and glory to Your Precious Name.  Amen.