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My earliest memory of going to a theater involves a movie about WWII. I went to a matinee with my brother and some friends. I don’t remember the title, but it involved bombers flying over Europe. War movies were once a staple of Hollywood. A common scene in old war movies is receiving orders from the commander. Soldiers are selected by the commanding officer for a specific mission. The orders set up additional scenes in the story.
Keep this in mind as we examine one of our spiritual blessings listed in Ephesians 1:11. It says we were chosen. However, this word is different than the word used in verse 4 which we examined on Monday. That word emphasized God calling us out to be holy and blameless before creation. The nuance of the word in verse 11 is selection to a goal or selection to a position. Ephesians 1:11-12 says, “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, in order that we, who were the first to hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory.” (NIV)
This is the only place in the New Testament this word translated “chosen” is found. Like the military commander choosing men to lead a mission, so God has appointed us to a role and purpose in his plan.
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Bumper music “Landing Place” performed by Mark July, used under license from Shutterstock.