For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren. (Romans 8:29)
There is a tree on the fourteenth hole at Raritan Valley Country Club, about 180 yards from the tee. As caddies, we would wait to watch the tee shots from this spot because players had to walk back to a lower tee box and face an uphill, blind shot toward a slight dogleg to the right. This also made our walk shorter.
After “graduating” to the summer greens crew during college, I learned the value of yelling fore when hitting a wayward shot. I was working on a sprinkler head with Al, the golf course superintendent. Al was about 5’10” and probably weighed 230 pounds. A man of few words who didn’t want anyone playing golf and ruining his turf. Golfers were adversaries.
On this particular day, we stood up from our work in the fairway as we heard “fore” yelled several times and saw a ball coming at us, 3’ off the ground and closing fast. I ducked down behind the service cart; Al stood there. The ball hit the cart, bounced off, and hit him squarely in the nose.
Without a blink, he rubbed his nose and said, “Well, they got us this time,” and went back to work without a second thought.
The word “fore” was used in Scottish dialects to mean “ahead” or “before.” And some believe it was shortened from the term “forecaddie,” referring to someone who would go ahead of the golf group and mark where the balls land to make them easier to find. It is also used as a military term to warn of a missile launch.
The word “foreknew” is used in the opening verse not as a prediction of future events but to suggest a loving, intimate, and relational knowledge that God has of His people; not just their actions but their very essence from eternity.
As we dig deeper, we see the word “predestined” implies God’s purposeful and sovereign decision to direct those He foreknew towards a specific destiny. That direction is towards Christ.
Conforming to the image of His son is our journey through a process of sanctification. As believers, we are progressively transformed to reflect Christ’s character and ways.
The term “firstborn among many brethren” emphasizes Christ’s unique position as the Son of God, and those who are conformed to Him are also seen as His brothers and sisters. How cool! We become part of a new family with Christ in control.
God is our “forecaddie” and formulated a plan to resolve sin and allow us to have an amazing relationship with Him and thrive in community. The following is a verse we should all keep in mind:
What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us? (Romans 8:31)
Prayer: Lord, keep our spirits strong, confident, and bold, knowing you have already formulated our plan, in your name, for your glory.