Monday - Remember Your Past

Ephesians 2:11–12 -  "Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh… That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world."

Paul begins with a strong reminder. He tells the Ephesians to remember who they were before Christ.

It can be easy to forget the past. Most of the time, we are told to move on and let go. But here, Paul says the opposite. He wants us to look back—not to feel ashamed, but to be thankful.

Before salvation, the Ephesians were without Christ. They were outsiders to God’s people and cut off from the promises of God. They had no hope and no relationship with God.
That is not just their story. It is our story too.

There was a time in our lives when we were spiritually lost. We were trying to make sense of life on our own. We were empty, restless, and separated from the One who created us.
Paul wants us to remember that time. Not to beat ourselves up, but to realize how far God has brought us. When we remember what life was like before Christ, it helps us appreciate the grace that saved us.

This kind of remembering makes our hearts humble. It helps us worship with more sincerity. It reminds us that we didn’t climb our way up to God—He reached down in mercy to rescue us.

If we forget who we were, we may start to take salvation for granted. But when we remember our brokenness and hopelessness without Him, our gratitude deepens and our love for God grows.

Take a moment today to think about your life before Jesus saved you. What was missing? What were you searching for? What kind of emptiness or confusion did you feel?

Now think about what God has done in your life since. Reflect on the peace, purpose, and hope you have now. Let that memory stir your heart with thankfulness. Let it remind you how amazing God’s grace really is.