One of my favorite things to do each morning is to write Scripture. I have found a deep appreciation for those scribes of old who diligently wrote each word correctly and according to the previous manuscript. It isn’t as easy as it might seem.

I’ve loved listening to Scripture for years because I hear things that I don’t read. Well let me tell you that I write things that I don’t read or hear!

I’ve been writing Scripture from the New American Standard Bible version and it is different from my usual NIV wording. So I’ve found that when I repeat a word over and over again in a chapter or book of the Bible, I realize that there is some importance that goes along with that word.

While writing the Book of Ephesians, I continually wrote the word “accord.” In these six chapters, some form of the word “accord” appears fifteen times in the NASB. So today, I want us to look at these fifteen uses of this root word. Ready?

Ephesians 1:5

We have been adopted by God according to His kind will

Ephesians 1:7

We have been redeemed according to the riches of God’s grace

Ephesians 1:9

According to God’s kind intention, we know the mystery of His will

Ephesians 1:11

We have obtained an inheritance according to God’s purpose

Ephesians 1:19

We are recipients of God’s great power in accordance with His working

Ephesians 2:2

When we walked according to the course of the world, we were dead in sin

Ephesians 3:7

Paul was made a minister according to God’s grace and according to His power

Ephesians 3:11

God’s wisdom has been made known through the Church in accordance with His eternal purpose which He carried out in Jesus Christ

Ephesians 3:16

We are granted God’s power according to the riches of His glory

Ephesian 3:20

According to the power that works within us, God is able to do far beyond all that we ask or think

Ephesians 4:7

Grace has been given according to the measure of Christ’s gift

Ephesians 4:16

According to the proper working of each part, the body of Christ works together

Ephesians 4:22

We are to lay aside our former way of life which was in accordance with the lusts of deceit

Ephesians 4:29

Each word that comes from our mouth is to be edifying according to the need of the moment

Ephesians 6:5

Slaves are to be obedient to their masters according to the flesh

While I cannot say this word is more important than the theme of “in Christ” in the Book of Ephesians, I can say that this is an important word for us to consider. As you go through your day today, I pray that you will remember what you are to do according to God’s Word. It might just make a real difference.

Grace and peace be yours in abundance,

Donna