Hidden Diamonds

"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ." - Ephesians 1:3 (NKJV)

There was a man in South Africa who owned a small compound where he and his horse would travel daily. As they passed through his property, there was a little stream filled with shiny objects that frustrated him greatly. His horse would constantly nuzzle through these glittering stones just to get a drink of refreshing water from the stream.

When news of a diamond rush spread across the region, this man decided to sell his property and join the search for precious stones elsewhere. He spent years trying and trying to find diamonds, eventually going broke in his pursuit. Ironically, he was later hired to work at his former property, only to discover that his old compound sat on one of the largest diamond deposits in the world. Those annoying shiny objects his horse had been pushing aside? They were tons of diamonds, worth millions of dollars. [C. Roy Angell, Shields of Brass (Nashville, TN: Broadman, 1965), 57.

Are there diamonds inside of us? Are there diamonds beneath us? Are there diamonds around us that we're not taking advantage of because we don't recognize what they are or see them as God says they are?

In Ephesians 1:3, Paul says "blessed be God" - that's the Greek word "eulogetos," which means "worthy of praise". But then, when he says God "has blessed us," he uses a different form of the same root word - "eulogeo" - which means "to speak well of" or "to bestow benefits upon". So God is worthy of praise because He has spoken well over us and bestowed benefits upon us.

Notice the tense: we "have been" blessed. Not will be blessed. You have been blessed. It is past tense. No, you're not just going to see these one day in glory. You're going to enjoy them now in this life.

We don't fight for victory, we fight from victory. You need to understand that as a believer, as a child of God, you win. You have victory in Christ Jesus. You're blessed beyond measure. And yet are we enjoying it? Are we appreciating it? Are we letting it change our outlook in life?

That South African man lived on top of millions of dollars worth of wealth and never knew it. He went broke searching for what he already possessed. Don't make the same mistake spiritually.

Reflection Questions: What spiritual "diamonds" might you be overlooking in your life because you don't recognize their value? How would your perspective change if you truly believed you've already been blessed with every spiritual blessing?

Heavenly Father, open my eyes to see the diamonds You've already placed in my life. Help me stop searching everywhere else for what You've already given me in Christ. Show me the spiritual wealth I already possess so I can stop living like a spiritual pauper when I'm actually a child of the King. In Jesus' Name, amen.

Adapted from "Blessed Beyond Measure" (Ephesians 1:3): https://www.joshfranklin.org/media/mdjxjmb/2-blessed-beyond-measure-eph-1-3