It is an honor and a privilege to be chosen. From the time we are children in school being chosen when we raise our hand in class or on the playground being chosen for a team to when we become young adults and are chosen to attend the college of our choice and then being chosen for a job we applied for. Of course, many people are chosen for many different awards and honors throughout life.
Some people on the other hand, feel as if they are never chosen. We may not get chosen for something we think we really want, however, we are all chosen for the greatest honor that could ever be given to anyone, we are chosen by God!
God created the world and all that is in it. He decided to create man in His own image. God gave us His characteristics and the ability to make decisions for ourselves. What this also means is that we have choice to follow God or not. Since our God and Father is all-knowing, He also knew that we would make wrong decisions and find ourselves on the wrong path so He chose Jesus to come into the world, live as a man, and to be the Savior of all mankind (I Peter 1:18-20). I would venture to say that not many of us would choose the path that would lead us to the cross. Jesus was chosen and chose to be completely obedient to God’s plan for our sake.
There is much debate in the religious world of just how much of a role we play in our being chosen, our election if you will. Many say we play no part because we are saved by grace. It is true that we are saved by grace. Paul says in Ephesians 2:8–8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God. What that means is that God chose to save us. We did nothing to deserve it. We do have to have faith and faith is displayed in being obedient to God and His word.
Friends, I want you to know that it is of the highest honor to be chosen by God! In II Peter 1:5-8, Peter tells us how to build our faith. Then in verse 10 he gives us some great encouragement when he says, “Therefore, my brothers, be all the more eager to make your calling and election sure. For if you do these things, you will never fall.”
Think about the great honor that has been bestowed on us. The perfect God of love and light in Whom there is no darkness chose us so that we might spend eternity in heaven with Him.
We are chosen. We are honored. We are loved by God!
Read Ephesians 1:3-13