1 Thessalonians 1:4
knowing, brethren beloved by God, His choice of you;

I woke this morning with a bit of anxiety. I didn’t know what was going on under the surface but clearly there was some unrest. As I bounced around bible verses and began to pray I was distracted, grabbing the iPhone to check on my Clash of Clan builds, checking email, clearly the ADD was in overdrive this morning.

Then I ran across those words; “His choice of you”

This is  how I’ve come to know God’s word is alive in my life. It instantly drew me in, the noise around me began to fade as I felt wanted, needed, pursued, CHOSEN; and then the most blessed feeling of them all came upon me;

GRATITUDE

I don’t know about the rest of you, but I’m sure many can identify with not being the most popular in school as a child, or struggling as an adult to fit in at times. I have always been introverted, friendly and polite but never really pursued or in pursuit. Wen people tried to get close I kept them at arms length fearing they would get to know too much about my faults or heaven forbid I’d have to hear about and try and solve theirs.

Justification comes at the realization of God’s Character and Sanctification comes at the never-ending realizations of our own. 

God pressed that quote upon my heart a couple weeks ago and I’ve been hanging on to it tightly. What it represents is the simple reminder that God chose us first. He pursues us, it is He who lifts us out of our narrow minded self-willed ego-based lifestyles and gives us a deeper purpose and meaning to our lives.

Romans 1:7

to all who are beloved of God in Rome, called as saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ

It is grace that turned our blindness to sight. I would clearly be dead or institutionalized if I had remained on the path I was on. I was hurting deeply inside and no amount of money, peer recognition, partying or sex was able to fill that soul ache.

That was until I cried out to Christ and He changed everything.

Not that my life flipped on a dime, but my heart shifted from hopelessness to hope, from powerlessness to power. Instead of just thinking “I need to do something different” I was given the courage to stand up and start DOING something different.

It is our revelation of God’s immense love for us, that realization that He chose me personally, not because I deserved or earned it, but because He created me and has been with me my whole life whether I acknowledged His presence and protection or not.

Much like Joseph’s hard life of betrayal by his brothers, being ripped from his family home and his father who he adored and thrown into slavery, surviving all of that only to face persecution for doing the right thing and being falsely accused by Potiphar’s wife and being thrown in prison, and yet ultimately being responsible for saving 100’000’s of lives through preparations for the 7 year famine.

Genesis 45:5

5 And now do not be distressed or angry with yourselves because you sold me here, for God sent me before you to preserve life.

The very point of transformation in Joseph’s life came at the realization that he was chosen by God for a purpose and that his whole life had been building towards and preparation of that destiny.

We may not be selected to change the world, but we are chosen for a purpose. We can change our world around us. Each day in every person we encounter we are blessed with a divine appointment of biblical proportion, to love others and share the Good News.

Colossians 3:12

So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience

If you are reading this right now, then my life is having impact.  Not that I bring any knowledge or wisdom or worth to the table, but that hopefully simply by risking being known by sharing my weaknesses and glorifying God’s strengths, just one other may be enccouraged, and maybe it is YOU who is meant to reach the world on a grand scale.

Our life’s journey truly begins on a deeper levels once we get this powerfully foundational reality, we are chosen by God for a purpose. Everyone’s strengths are different but the calling is the same…

  Our growth for His glory

Father God, that you would pursue us relentlessly and protect us from ourselves while we stubbornly hang on to our own understandings in blindness is beyond understading. Nobody on earth can model the unconditional love that You have for us, thank You. May my life exhibit a response to Your calling in a way that honors and glorifies Your name above all. Help to soften my heart to the persecutors in my life, to offer grace, compassion and forgiveness on a scale that can only be seen as divine in nature. I believe through the awareness of You in all of my life’s experiences I can carry that heart of gratitude into all situations which says “I am chosen, therefore I am free”. You already paid the price, and you have given me sight into Your great love for me. Help us all this day Lord focus on letting others see You through us. In Jesus precious name I pray…