You are God's Chosen

Do you realize what it means to be God’s chosen? As a once youthful athlete, I recall the pleasure, privilege, and pride of being selected from a larger group to represent my team on the field. However, I also recall, with great clarity, the despair and disappointment of failing to make the cut or not being chosen to play.

A generic definition of the word chosen is to be selected from or preferred above others: the chosen few. Though, for us as Christ followers, Merriam Webster offers a more appropriate biblical definition of the word chosen as “one who is the object of choice or of divine favor: an elect person.” Both definitions are correct; however, as Christ followers, we need to realize and embrace the underlying eternal truth: God chose us – not by public acclamation or personal merit but by divine, preordained unmerited favour.

In Ephesians 1, Paul reminds us that God, who exists outside the construct of time, chose us to be in him before he created the world. God chose us – not because of our personal merit, but because of his merit. Despite our own frailties and failings, and our obvious inability to become holy and perfect in his sight, God chose and empowers the least of these to become holy and blameless – all part of a preordained plan to accomplish his will on this side of heaven and into eternity.

We need not fear that we do not measure up – that our abilities are insufficient for God’s work. Through the Holy Spirit, God, in his unmerited favour, conforms us daily into the image of his son. As Christ followers, we need not fear that we will never measure up to God’s standards or that we may never “make the cut.” Jesus reminds us that, “Many are called, but few are chosen.” In his unfathomable love, mercy, and grace, he chose us to be his own and that is the greatest privilege and honour we can humbly reflect within our sphere of influence – for his glory – to the praise of his glorious grace!

Dear Heavenly Father, thank you that you have chosen me before the creation of the world. Help me to realize and reflect that, despite my human frailties and failings, all that I am is because of your unmerited grace. May your Spirit continue to conform me to the image of Jesus and to humbly reflect you within my sphere of influence.

Throughout the Day: Reflect on the truth that, despite your shortcomings you are God’s chosen – preordained and equipped to conform to the purpose of his will.