Ekloge - Claimed as his own

 

Remember jumping in the car with mom or dad and yelling out to your siblings, “I’ve got shotgun!” and hearing the others moan.

Claiming your spot. So what makes a location desirable? You wouldn’t want to reserve your seat in the trunk of the car, or claim your space in a garbage dump, would you?

So I came across this scripture the other morning that I’d never really looked at closely before.

In 2 Peter 1:10, God claims his spot:

“For this reason, beloved ones, be eager to confirm and validate that God has invited you to salvation and claimed you as his own.” TPT

First of all, you didn’t crash this party, or just happen upon it. You received a personal invitation from Father God. When the angels were writing out the invites, Daddy said to send a special invitation to Taffy Tucker Spaloss.

Then not only did he invite me, he also claimed me as his own. He staked out his spot – I’m sitting next to Taffy.

In the Passion Translation, the footnote for this verse teaches us that the Greek word translated ‘claimed as his own’ is ekloge (which means ‘from his logos word’). The footnote says “God spoke and you were his. You are meant to be a “chosen word” from his mouth, and you will not return to him void, but you will accomplish what he has destined for you to do.” (See Isaiah 55:11)

Don’t miss the meaning of this statement. Herein lies my value, my purpose, my raison d’etre. The God of the universe has claimed me as his own. He has declared in the presence of heaven and earth that I am his chosen word. My life has impact and purpose because he spoke my name.

And one day I will hear him speak my name out loud. When I step through the portal into heaven, pass through the throng of my loved ones who’ve gone ahead of me, and step into Jesus’ outstretched arms, I’ll hear him speak my name. I think of Mary Magdalene at the empty garden tomb, heartbroken because she believes someone has stolen the Lord’s dead body. But then she hears a soft voice, or is it just a breeze whistling over the desert bushes.

“Mary”.

“Did I really hear that? Is someone saying my name? It sounds… it sounds like...Jesus! Jesus, it’s you! You’re alive!”

Yes, it will be life changing to hear you speak my name. But you said to pray and declare on earth as it is in heaven. So could you speak my name now? Could you enable my ears today to hear you claim me as your own, ekloge? May I live today as your chosen word, accomplishing all that you wrote about me in your book. For I believe that “You saw who you created me to be before I became me! Before I’d ever seen the light of day, the number of days you planned for me were already recorded in you book.” Ps. 139:16.