Chosen

Last year when my husband and I were expecting a third child, we just knew this one would be a boy, our family would be complete, and this momma would be done renting out her personal space to little humans! The day quickly approached for the gender to be revealed. We received one simple text… a pink square. That’s right — another girl! We were excited, but my husband still had a desire to raise a boy. He began asking about adoption, because through it, we would know for sure that we were gaining a son. There would be no question or surprise.

When Paul wrote his letter to the Ephesians, adoption was very prevalent in Roman society. The Greek word Paul used for “adoption” was “huiothesia” and refers to the legal standing of adopted males into Roman families. If a well-to-do family had only daughters, they would often adopt a son, ensuring that their family name would live on and their estate would have an eligible heir. The son would inherit the family’s name, honor, power, and wealth. Through childbirth, you “got what you got”. Through adoption what you got was to choose who you wanted as heir.

That’s why the word Paul used held much power for his Gentile (non-Jewish) readers. Until Jesus entered the scene, you were only “God’s chosen” if you were among His people — the nation of Israel. Once He came, everything changed. Salvation was now for “whoever believes” (John 3:16). This was a hard concept to grasp after thousands of years of thinking that the Savior was coming for the Jewish nation alone. But that is precisely why, I believe, Paul chose to say “adoption”. Regardless of descent, if they choose to follow Jesus, they have been adopted in.

And this is important for us, too. 

Because just like the recipients of Paul’s letter, we have been chosen. So often, we can feel less-than, shameful over mess ups, and unworthy to be called Jesus followers. But, before the foundation of the world (Ephesians 1:4), He chose you. He knew your personality, the choices you would make, if you would be a coffee-lover or tea-drinker, what makes you laugh — what makes you, you. He saw all that you are and all that you will be and said “I want her in my family. I choose her.”

So whatever circumstance you find yourself in, whatever condemnation you may be placing upon yourself, know that before you ever chose to be His follower — He chose you.

Father, thank you for your loving kindness, that before we ever took a breath, You chose us as heirs. Help us to not take that for granted or think that it is something we have earned, but rather it is something to be cherished and a reason to know You, to love You, and to sing Your praises. Let our lives today reflect the grace and love You so lavishly pour out on us.

MORE MOMENTS ABOUT EPHESIANS 1:3-6
To be chosen from the foundation of the world. Think about that for a moment and let it sink in — before the foundation of the world. Before we ever did anything for Him and His glory, before we ever even took a breath, He accepted us and called us heirs. This truth changes our perspective on how we live, how we respond, how we perform and check off all the boxes on our “good Christian” checklist. The gift of salvation has nothing to do with how good we are and everything to do with how good He is. It means that we are no longer striving for acceptance but from acceptance. And it is because of His goodness, that we respond with our actions and our deeds. We love, because He first loved us (1 John 4:19).