Don't forget what you were

In Ephesians 1, we're reminded of the wonderful plan of God: to bring all things together under Christ (to the praise of his glory) by adopting us through Jesus Christ (to the praise of his glory)! Then Paul says that he doesn't cease praying for those who enjoy all these amazing blessings - that they would grow in the knowledge of Christ and of his immeasurably great power.
But at the beginning of chapter 2 we're taken back to our pre-Christian state, and with characteristic bluntness, Paul reminds us of what we were before we were adopted through Jesus Christ:

And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience- among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.      Eph 2:1-3

But why does Paul do this? Why take us back and force us to confront what we once were? Surely because unless we realise what we were, and would still be, without the 'immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness towards us in Christ Jesus', we would become complacent.
We must remember that before we were adopted into God's family, we were 'sons of disobedience' - unable and unwilling to follow God and thus unable to receive his blessings. In fact, we were 'children of wrath'. Today, local authorities have huge difficulties in recruiting enough temporary foster parents for difficult, rebellious, disobedient children. But that's what we were, and yet God adopted us. Permanently. Why would he do that? Because he is 'rich in mercy'; because of the great love with which he loved us' (vv4f). And that mercy and love was shown to us even though we were walking in trespasses and sins, rebelling against him and being thoroughly disobedient.
It's easy to look back and think, 'But I wasn't that bad'. Well, perhaps that's because I haven't yet understood the seriousness of my previous rejection and rebellion. This God who is rich in mercy and overflowing in love would not have counted me a child of wrath if I didn't deserve it!
And if you look back and say, 'But there was never a time when I didn't know God - I was never a 'child of wrath'', then renew your thanks to God for this, and remember that without his mercy and love, that's what you would have been in the past, would be now and forever.
The light of grace shines brightest in a dark room.