When you were young and played games that required “choosing up sides,” it was always exciting when you were the first one chosen. But when you were the last one left and someone had to take you, that was degrading.

We are chosen not because we can always get the ball over the goal line or in the hoop. But we were chosen when we were fumbling the ball and fanning out, and He knew we would still do that. We were chosen because He loves us and wants us. He knows what we can do through Him. This is the glory of God’s will. “Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us . . .” (Ephesians 3:20).

We are chosen before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in His sight. We have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace.

Paul reminds us all through Ephesians of our blessings and urges us to be worthy of our calling, and to be strong in the Lord and stand firm in His mighty power by putting on the full armor of God so we can stand against the evil one.