Chosen – November 20, 2019

But we ought always to thank God for you, brothers and sisters loved by the Lord, because God chose you as firstfruits to be saved through the sanctifying work of the Spirit and through belief in the truth.
2 Thessalonians 2:13

Chosen

Weddings are beautiful events. Hours go into planning even the simplest wedding. So many choices need to be made. Which dress will the bride wear? What music will be played? What food will be served? Who will be in the wedding party and who will be invited to attend?

Probably the biggest decision gets made before any of the other planning happens—the bride and groom choose each other. Big wedding or small, it is this choice that makes weddings such a beautiful event. Two people choose each other and from that choice, a beautiful life is built together.

Every believer in Jesus can know that they have been chosen by God to be his own. But, unlike a bride and groom, it wasn’t that both God and the Christian chose each other. No, this was God’s choice and his alone. Even before the creation of the world, he wrote every Christian’s name in the book of life. God looked through all eternity and decided he wanted to be with that person forever. He sent his Son to be born into this world to live perfectly in their place and to pay with his life for the wages of their sin. He has caused them to be born into a place and time and arranged a way for his Word to be heard and believed by them. God did all of this because he chose them to be saved.

It is no wonder Saint Paul gave God thanks for choosing the early Christians to be saved. And, it is no wonder Christians thank God for choosing them. Because he has, they know that they will have a beautiful, eternal life with him.

Prayer:
Lord, I marvel that you would choose sinners to become saints through faith in your Son. Thank you for choosing to do such a thing. Amen.