Ephesians 1 is a great chapter. I read it last night and thought about the first six verses. We were chosen. I think back to my grammar school days. I was tall and lanky and absolutely uncoordinated in sports. We would all line up. Two team leaders would choose who they wanted on their team. I was the last one standing and the leader would grudgingly invite me onto their team.

Not so with the Lord! He chose us before He set the foundation for the earth. Not only were we chosen, but we were adopted as His children and fully accepted. What a joy! What three great truths to stand in. I want to add a few more verses.

Chosen: John 15:16 says, “You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you.”

1 Peter 2:9 says, “But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.” You are chosen because you are special in the eyes of the Lord.

Adopted: Ephesians 1:5 says, “Having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will.”

Romans 8:15 says, “For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, Abba, Father.” When children are adopted, they are chosen out of a group. Our adoption is a demonstration of how pleased the Lord is with us.

Accepted: Ephesians 1:6 says, “To the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved.”

John 1:8-9 says, “But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name, who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.”

We were chosen, adopted, and accepted because of Jesus’ shed blood. Titus 3:5 is a reminder that it had nothing to do with us. We were alienated from the life of God, yet He drew us with His cords of love and bound us to Him forever. Hallelujah!