Chosen by God (Ephesians 1)

Good evening, I want to try something new leading up to Good Friday and Easter.

The plan is to read through a book in the Bible while blogging on one chapter per day. I will leave a brief reflection on what I believe God may be speaking through the passage. The Book I have chosen is St Paul's letter to the Ephesians.

Within each blog there will be a few verses highlighted but I will not have the entire chapter word for word on my blog.  I want to challenge you as my reader to open your Bible on this journey with me. If you own a cell phone (which I am going to assume is over 99% of my readers) you can download the Youversion Bible App. This is a great app because you can read a variety of Bible translations along with devotions.


In the opening chapter of this book, Paul makes a bold claim: "Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes. God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure."- Ephesians 1:4-5


These verses are revolutionary. These verses are bold. These verses are dangerous.

Before we did anything to earn it: God loved us.


We tend to praise people for excellent behavior. We do this to reinforce good behavior and eliminate bad behavior. But God didn't do this. He isn't waiting for us to become good to love us. He would be waiting a long time. The moment we think we have everything together is the moment everything falls apart.We are far from perfect. We know this. God knows this! Yet His love for us is not conditional on our love toward him.


Think about that for a moment! In Western Christianity we talk about things like "sinner's prayers" and "altar calls." We try to convince people they are a wretch (like they need convincing) so they need to "give their lives to God" so God can save them from the pit misery (dilly dilly) I mean hell.

God loved you before you could love him.

I love verses like these ones because it keeps me humble. I love to take credit for my salvation. I love to think I did something to earn it. But it's all God. It's 100% his love drawing me into relationship with Him.  

You are God's number one draft pick. You have not been chosen by the Browns! (Sorry Brandon Nutter if you are reading this!!!!!). God is much better than the Browns!



And Adopted into a family?

 The second verse I highlighted above said God decided to adopt us into his family. God demonstrated his love for us by becoming a man and dying on a cross. Yes, that's Good Friday. But did he have to?

I think sometimes we get this picture that God only loves me because he has to. You know because God has to love everyone.

But what does the verse say?

"This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure."

By God choosing you I do not mean "God is a captain picking teams for dodgeball in PE class and no one else is left" so he chooses you. He picked you because he wanted to pick you. It was not a pity date. He doesn't "feel bad for you." He really really wants you.


Do you believe God simply tolerates you?
or
Are you his pleasure?

Are you valuable?
Are you worth anything?


I had a friend, from college, "Kat Bull (she is married now but she will always be Kat Bull to me) who would remind me that "you're a pleasure."

Years later it became an "inside joke" (that I just shared with the world wide web.....).

But it's true. If someone is "putting up with you" they are not treating you in the way you are meant to be treated. You belong to a royal family. Your father is the King. His name is King Jesus.


Conclusion

It is important to remember three things when we look at scripture.

1) What does this verse tell me about God?
2) What does this verse tell me about me?
3) What does this verse tell me about other people?


1) God is good. God is love. Jesus is the perfect revelation of the Father demonstrating his love to the world. The Holy Spirit works in the world reuniting sons and daughters back to their daddy. God finds pleasure by being reunited with his children.

I mean... c'mon who doesn't love their kids? I love watching my son "talk" and laugh and play. He has almost 4 teeth now. And he likes to bite me with them right in my shoulder. He will be walking in the next month or two. When I come home- He opens his mouth in excitement. How cool is that?

If my son can love an imperfect father like me----- how much more can we love a perfect father we have in God?


2) I am loved. I am treasured. I am the pleasure of heaven. God did not just decide to tolerant me but wants me. I am worth dying for. You are worth dying for.

I know the imagery of a father to son/daughter relationship with some is hard. What if you had a bad parent? I get it. But in all the ways your mom or dad could not be there for you God is.

This verse reminds me that no matter how I feel on a particular day that I can remember I have a purpose: being a child of God.  


3) God loves them too! Even the person that is the most disgusting and horrible person in the world? He loves them too. Because He chose them, I need to choose to love them as well. I need to walk in peace (as far as it depends on me) with everyone I encounter.



Okay! You made it through day one! Hooray for you! Tomorrow (Monday) I will be posting on Ephesians 2. Make sure to read through Ephesians 1 and 2 by then!