Chosen

People, young and old, will do many things to be included into a group.  We long to be liked and accepted.  Many times this desire runs out of control and we find ourselves participating in things that we would normally not want to do.  Girls will give up their virginity to find acceptance and love.  Guys will join gangs and participate in the killing of others to be accepted and thought of highly.  Men will speak the right words for approval but never follow through with the actions.  Women will wear the right clothing and make sure their children are behaving perfectly in the public eye, as they are dying inside to be noticed.  We all want to be accepted and to be esteemed.  We believe the lie that people will fulfill these desires.  The funny thing is we are all striving for the same thing.  The person you are trying to impress in also trying to impress someone else. What a vicious circle of unnecessary strife.

  I have a news flash for you!  This idol will NEVER work.

Those who cling to worthless idols

   turn away from God’s love for them. Jonah 2:8

Ephesians, my favorite book of the Bible, says in 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ.  Spiritual Blessing-have you wondered like me what these blessing are? Let's read on...

For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight.

 In love  he predestined us for adoption to sonship--through Jesus Christ,

in accordance with his pleasure and will—

We are chosen by God before the foundation of the world-what a blessing.  This amazing blessing needs to be chewed upon.  Do you realize who the Creator of the world is? The God of the universe.  The God who uses the earth as His footstool.  The God who measures the waters in the hollow of His hand.  The God who marks off the heavens and commands the waves to cease.  The God who holds the dust of the earth in a basket and who weights the mountains on the scales.  The God who knows the number of hairs on your head and the number of breathes in your lungs.  The Sovereign Lord who holds all things together by His power.

This God has CHOSEN you.  He chose you before the foundation of the world.  Before you were born He chose you.  Before you had your first thought, He chose you.  Before you could do your first good deed or your first sin, He chose you.  As this truth sets in, you are made free.  There is no need for self esteem, only God esteem, which is given freely.  He chose you to holy and blameless.  He adopted you.  He loves you-before you were created in your mother's womb. 

He has a purpose for you-to be holy and blameless in His sight.  Please don't let the striving begin here.  We are not make holy and blameless by our works.  Our Savior Christ Jesus makes us holy and blameless.  I don't understand how this works but when we trust and surrender our life to Jesus, we are made clean, holy, and blameless. 

God chose us and set us apart by His good pleasure.  It pleased God to extend His grace to us through His Son Jesus.  You are accepted and loved by Jesus.  This truth should make your heart bow in worship.  Bow before Him today, laying the worthless of idols of people worship at His feet and stand clothed in His righteousness.  Worship is all He desires from you!