Chosen by God

Anyone who has ever been elected to a team that participated in a game or anything that affects other candidates knows the feeling of being the chosen one. It gives you the feeling of being favored and preferred. On the other hand, most of us also know the opposite, not to have been elected, you feel ignored and rejected.

God, who made us as we are and who understands these feelings, emphasizes that his choice of Israel to be his people was carefully considered and not accidental. He said to them, "For you are a people holy to the Lord your God, and the Lord has chosen you to be his own people among all the peoples that are on the face of the earth" (Deuteronomy 5 Cor4,2). Other verses in the Old Testament also show that God chose: a city, priests, judges, and kings.

Colossians 3,12  declare that we too, like Israel, have been chosen: «We know, brothers beloved of God, for your election (to his people)» (1. Thessalonians 1,4). This means that none of us was an accident. We are all here because of God's plan. Everything he does is done with purpose, love and wisdom.

In my last article about our identity in Christ, I put the word "choose" at the foot of the cross. It is something that I believe is at the core of who we are in Christ and also crucial to spiritual health. If we go around believing that we are here by some whim of God or the rolling of a dice, our faith (trust) will be weak and our development as mature Christians will suffer.

Each of us must know and believe that God chose us and called us by name. He patted you and me on the back and said, "I choose you, follow me!" We can have faith in knowing that God chose us, loved us, and has a plan for each one of us.

What should we do with this information besides feeling warm and toasty? It is the basis of our Christian life. God wants us to know that we belong to him, we are loved, we are wanted, and our Father takes care of us. But it's not because we did anything. As he told the Israelites in the fifth book of Moses 7,7 said: “It was not because you were more numerous than all the nations that the Lord desired you and chose you; for you are the least of all peoples.” Because God loves us, we can say with David: “Why do you grieve, my soul, and are you so troubled within me? wait on God; for I will thank him again, that he is my salvation and my God" (Psalm 42,5)!

Because we are chosen, we can hope for him, praise him and trust him. We can then turn to others and radiate the joy that we have in God.

by Tammy Tkach