Chosen

When I was young, my biological father left my mother, my sister and I. It was difficult to feel the hurt of my fathers rejection. It made life rough for awhile because I had a mom that was gone and dealing with so much while she worked to support us. But a few years later, Mom remarried and my second father decided to adopt me.

In middle school, I remember waiting to be chosen for one of the basketball teams that would play during recess. The one thing that no one wanted was to be the last one chosen. Most of the time I was chosen somewhere in the middle, letting out a sigh of relief. I wasn't the best player but was ok.

I think being wanted, or chosen is something everyone yearns for and God put that hole in our heart that only He can fill. In reality, we already have been chosen, FIRST.

Ephesians 1:4-5 "Even before He made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in His eyes. God decided in advance to adopt us into His own family by bringing us to Himself through Jesus Christ. This is what He wanted to do, and it gave Him great pleasure."

These verses make me think of a little pound puppy waiting to be picked. This puppy is filthy and waiting for love and a family to belong to. We are like the pound puppy, filthy in sin, yet chosen. God points to us and says, I want that one. He brings us into His family and washes us clean by the blood of Jesus that covered our sins. That is just what happened when God sent His Son Jesus, to die for our sins and make us spotless in His eyes. :-)

Galatians 4:4-7 "But when the right time came, God sent His Son, born of a woman, subject to the law. God sent Him to buy freedom for us who were slaves to the law, so that He could adopt us as His very own children. And because we are His children, God has sent the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, prompting us to call out, "Abba, Father." Now you are no longer a slave but God's own child. And since you are His child, God has made you His heir."

1Peter 4:8 "Most important of all, continue to show deep love for each other, for love covers a multitude of sins."

Christ died once for all. He is asking us to live not for a way to earn heaven but out of a grateful heart. To follow His example of love and gentleness to have victory over sin.

Lord, I pray for your help to live expressing your kind of love. Only you can give us the power to do this.