Wednesday, October 9, 2024

Listen to the Word

He predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will. (Ephesians 1:5)

The word “predestined” in this week’s verse may make you nervous. The way some folks describe it, God is playing favorites, choosing some people to be his kids to the exclusion of others. It conjures up images of God playing a cruel game of “eenie, meenie, miney, moe” to decide who is in and who is out.   

That is not what predestination means. The Bible tells us plainly that God does not want anyone to perish. He wants all people to have a relationship with Him. And that is exactly what our Scripture tells us. He doesn’t wait for people to live their lives and then determine on a case by case basis whether they will be welcome in his family. He predestines, he decides from the beginning, that he wants them all to be his. The New Living Translation says it well: “His unchanging plan has always been to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ, and this gave him great pleasure.”

Live the Word

Use the phrase “I am yours, Father” as a breath prayer. Pray that prayer continually today, as often as it comes to mind.