Chosen by the King
What it Means to be Cherished by God
Hey y’all! It’s been a little while since I’ve popped on here and though I’ve been grateful for the break amidst so much going on, I’m excited to be back with some new thoughts to share!
Life has been busting with busyness lately and I’ve been realizing how easy it is to get so caught up in the drama of decisions, relationships, and goals that I spend less time in the Bible and resort to previous ways of thinking or viewing myself. As I cycled through the initial struggle and turned to prayer, God swooped in and hit me with something so foundational for the faith but yet a beautiful truth I had neglected to rely on…
It was a normal weekday morning. Sweet sounds of birds echoed through the walls, as the sun shone blindingly through my curtains, highlighting the open page of the Bible in front of me. Ephesians was the book of choice that morning and as my eyes skimmed over the verses, I’ll shamefully admit I wasn’t expecting to glean much from it that very moment. My lips offered prayer, yet my heart was not fully engaged. Contiguously, my thoughts turned to the burdens weighing heavily on me: relationships I wished to cultivate but yet remained stagnant, a specific role I wished obtain for an upcoming performance, future plans relying heavily on my ability to come out on top. Over and over, each desire replayed in my head, accompanied by the words, “What if I’m not the one they choose?” And that’s when the verses laid out in front of me came into focus.
“4 For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love 5 he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— 6 to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves.”
Ephesians 1:4-6
When I tell you I froze, I mean it in the most literal sense. Outside, the birds’ melodies whistled on, and the wind blew leaves gently across my driveway, but inside, all was still. I could hear each beat of my heart as the words danced on the page in front of me, their meaning slowly whispering its way into my heart.
GOD CHOSE ME.
HE CHOSE ME BEFORE CREATION EVEN BEGAN.
HE PLANNED FOR ME, MY EXISTENCE, MY SALVATION, MY ENTRANCE INTO HIS KINGDOM, LONG BEFORE I EVER TOOK A BREATH.
GOD CHOSE TO ADOPT ME IN LOVE…
NO ULTERIOR MOTIVES….
JUST SIMPLE, PURE, UNCONDITIONAL LOVE.
I probably sat there for ten minutes, reveling in the beauty and truth of those words washing over me. Never before in my life had I felt so cherished, so adored, so seen, so CHOSEN. And as I continued on throughout my day, my week, I couldn’t help but keep thinking of that moment, those verses, and how special it is to be chosen by God.
So dear reader, I’d like to leave you with a few of the thoughts swirling around in my head after meditating on these verses and I pray it reminds you that you are SEEN, LOVED, and CHOSEN by GOD!!!
What does it mean for me to be chosen by God? Being chosen by the King of the Universe to be forgiven, cherished, and a part of His eternal Kingdom is the greatest gift I will ever be given! I can build my identity in Christ, knowing that no matter what rejection I rencounter in this world, I will always be received by my Savior!
How should I view others, knowing God also desires to choose them? I am no better than anyone else- we all are sinners and deserve death, yet Jesus came and died, for every man, woman, girl or boy who believes in him to receive eternal life (John 3:16). If God chose someone, who am I to claim I’m too good for them?
How should I strive to live, knowing I am chosen by God? 1 Peter 2:9 states that we are a “chosen race”, a “people for his own possession” that we may “Proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.” A major part of the faith walk is sharing our story with others. Shining God’s light includes proclaiming to the world the riches of God’s grace and encouraging other through the God’s miracles in our own lives!
Secondly, we are to walk like Jesus and strive to live like him. Colossians 3: 2-17 lays out the basics for our walk as “God’s Chosen Ones”, highlighting virtues like kindness, humility, meekness and patience, and encouraging believers to do everything in Christ’s name with gratitude.
While there is so much more I could go into on this topic, I believe that’s all I have time for today and I hope you have been encouraged!
Knowing the King of the Universe chose ME is the most precious and wonderful thing I have ever experienced and I pray that you, dear reader, will come to this conclusion and bask in the beauty of His adoration as well.
Until next time!
LeaRose