PREDESTINED

“In love he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will.” Ephesians 1:5 NIVUK‬‬ ‬

Eugene Peterson, in his book Practicing Resurrection, notes that the underlying truth of being predestined is to establish useful boundaries and limitations. Imagine a pioneer who has chosen to build a home and plant crops in a wide open field. To not be overwhelmed by the opportunity and the vast amount of space, the pioneer sets a perimeter for where the crops will be planted, where the barn will be built, and where the house will be constructed. The limitations allow for intentional development and growth. God predestined us for adoption. He did it because He loves us. He places boundaries so that our adoption to sonship can be lived intentionally and as a faithful witness to God’s pleasure and will.

The previous mentioned pioneer’s crops are growing and he has learned that the local wildlife also enjoys the fruit of his labor. He loves the wildlife and he loves his crops. He doesn’t love that the wildlife eats his crops though. So what does he do? He builds a fence around his crops and garden. In doing so, he protects his vegetation from the wildlife and he protects the wildlife from his retribution. The boundary around his garden allows him to enjoy both, growth and wildlife. The boundaries of sonship allow us to enjoy both - the fruit of our sonship and God who so graciously adopted us.

CONSIDER

1. Write 4-5 words that describe how you feel when you consider that God adopted you because He loves you?

2. List one area of your life that needs an upgrade into your adoption as a child of God?

3. What boundaries can you establish to help you be more focused about your adoption as a child of God and less focused on the difficult circumstances or negative memories?

4. Because you are “predestined”, how will you add value and benefit to another?