The first chapter of Ephesians is (one of) my favourite parts of the Bible. I remember some time last year, after a long day I came back to my room and lay down to sleep, my roommate's Bible was on my bed, I opened (randomly) to Ephesians to do a quick reading and I was awestruck by the first chapter. I think my mouth was hanging open for quite some time, while I just absorbed the whole chapter (and book) over and over again.
One of the things I've noticed on my most recent reading of Ephesians is that Paul takes some time to remind us that God chose us. Three times in the first chapter alone you'll find Paul drumming it into us like, "hey! He chose you!"
Ephesians 1:4-6
4:For he CHOSE us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love
5:he PREDESTINED us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will
6:to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves.
Firstly in verse 4, he chose us! And then in verse 5, he predestined (just another way of saying he chose) us! Then we find also in verse 11 of the same chapter,
Ephesians 1:11
11:In him we were also CHOSEN, having been PREDESTINED according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will,
Again he chooses us, and we are predestined. God had a plan for us from before the beginning of all things. He chose us.
There are several reasons why I believe this is an important biblical truth to know, meditate upon, and savour, but I'll dwell on just one.
Consider that if God has chosen you, and verse 11 says he works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, then everything we pass through must of necessity be in conformity with God's will, and we know that God's will for our lives is good.
That is, because he loved us and chose us, he wills to do good to us, to be good to us. And because every thing must work out in conformity to his will (which is to be good to us) every situation we pass through whether (from a human perspective) good or bad is in fact good, and working out for good for us and in us.
Perhaps the biggest (or at least one of the challenging) problems in Christian life and living is dealing with bad situations. Child-of-a-king-but-low-on-rent kind of scenarios. It can get overwhelming at times, especially for me personally. And in those times I (we) despair and lose sight of the big picture, we (I) lose sight of God's plan and God's perspective.
God's perspective of course is that everything he allows is good for us, even if the world calls it bad! It is very important that we do not give in to the world's definition of good and bad. If God says it's good, it is good, regardless of what the world thinks.
God's plan is to be good to us, and for us. He hasn't chosen us grudgingly to give us just enough so that we get by in life. He has chosen us to lavish his kindness and his grace on us. Listen to Paul again in chapter 2,
Ephesians 2:7
7:in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus
So this year and in the years to come let us (instead of despairing) remember that he chose us! And if he chose us to do us good, then everything, absolutely everything will work out for good for us. Let us remember this; and live, laugh, love, grieve, worship, mourn, with this in mind. The king chose me.!
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