Thankful For Being Chosen

However, Scripture teaches that GOD chose us. This awareness is so magnificent that we are moved to thank HIM and give HIM our complete devotion! GOD searches for you and me even in our mother’s womb, as Psalm 139 says!

However, GOD does much more than just search to speak to us, listen to us, and reveal things to us (Jeremiah 33:3). Even more remarkable is HIS choice to call us to follow HIM (John 10:27). HE seeks us because only HE, who is eternal, can lead those who are called to BE eternal.

The verb “chose” is reflexive, meaning GOD picked us for HIS own purposes, for HIMSELF. In other words, our salvation is entirely the result of what GOD has already done for us. Today, if you have made JESUS CHRIST your LORD, it is only because GOD chose you
(John 6:37-40) before the creation of the world. (Ephesians 1:4)

My first reaction when I realized that GOD had chosen me was to try to make sense of it in terms I could grasp. It took me back to those days when I was a child, playing some kind of sport. I’m sure many of you remember those days! A couple of kids would be designated as captains, and then they would pick the other kids they wanted on their team. For some of the kids waiting to be picked, it was miserable, as they prayed against all hope that they wouldn’t be the last to be picked.

But that’s not the way GOD chooses. GOD doesn’t look at us and pick out the best or the brightest, the prettiest or the most athletic. In fact, HIS choice is not based on any of the qualities in our lives. That’s obvious from this verse, “before the creation of the world.”

First, we see that we were chosen “in HIM.” The “HIM” obviously refers to JESUS CHRIST. GOD chooses us not because of our good works, but because of the finished work of JESUS CHRIST on the cross.

The second important factor is that we were chosen “before the creation of the world.” That means that GOD chose us before we ever had the opportunity to do either good or evil in our lives.

For instance, GOD chose Abraham. Why did HE choose Abraham and not someone else? We don’t know, but GOD chose. GOD chose Israel from among all the nations of the earth to be HIS people.

Why didn’t HE choose the Moabites, the Malekites, or one of those other “ites”? It certainly wasn’t because Israel had earned that right. GOD just chose them.

The same thing is true for us. GOD didn’t choose us because we deserved it. HE did it because HE wanted to. Why? This one I can answer because HE is good! HE is Holy!

But you say, “I did do something. I had to have faith in JESUS CHRIST.” I’ve even seen a tract called “The Tie-Breaking Vote” which essentially says this: GOD has voted for you. Satan has voted against you. It’s now up to you to cast the tie-breaking vote.” First, I know Satan doesn’t have a vote that is equal to GOD’s, and I know I don’t. As I’ve said before, Christianity is not a democracy. It’s more like a monarchy, and GOD, the King, has absolute sovereignty over who gets into HIS kingdom.

The Bible is clear that unless GOD chooses us, we can’t even decide to place our faith in JESUS on our own. Here’s what JESUS had to say about that:

No one can come to ME unless the FATHER who sent ME draws him, and I will raise him up at the last day…HE went on to say,

“This is why I told you that no one can come to ME unless the FATHER has enabled him.”
John 6:44

No more waiting, no more wondering, just a knowing that HE has chosen.