Being Chosen

July 13, 2015

Being Chosen

You didn’t choose me. I chose you.

John 15:16a

Those of us with a Wesleyan background will recognize prevenient grace in this statement of Jesus. Prevenient grace is divine grace that precedes human decision. Before we had the capacity to choose God, God chose to reveal himself to us, thus enabling within us an awareness of the love of God and God’s offer of forgiveness through faith in Jesus. We could spend a lot of time pondering the depths of this theological concept, but instead of taking that road, let us back up and ponder the depths of just what it means to be chosen by Jesus.

Sometimes the enormity of scriptural revelation overwhelms us. Jesus said, “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life” (John 3:16 NRSV). That passage is so familiar it may have lost some power in our lives. Because that passage is only true if God loves us one at a time, change the text a bit so you can make it personal to you: For God so loved me that he gave his only Son, so that by my believing in him, I will not perish; I have eternal life. Read this personal version a time or two and let it sink deep in your spirit. Own it! With the passage in John 15, no editing is required, but you do need to stand back and let the truth wash over you.

“You didn’t choose me. I chose you.” What a phenomenal statement Jesus made. I am not aware of any of the other religions of the world that have anything that remotely compares to the tenderness, the intimacy, the indomitable power in Jesus’ words: “You didn’t choose me. I chose you.”

Because of the tenderness, intimacy and power in these words of Jesus, we know Saint Paul was absolutely speaking the mind of Christ when he wrote, “For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. When we cry, “Abba! Father!” it is that very Spirit bearing witness with our spirit that we are children of God” (Romans 8:14, 16 NRSV).

You were chosen by Jesus to become the child of God, the Father Almighty. There is no competition within the Trinity, no rivalry. Therefore, as God gives us grace to embrace our own chosen-ness, we are given eyes to see the chosen-ness of others. With grateful hearts let us rejoice.

Sē’lah

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(Selah is a word that appears in the Book of Psalms that I often use as the Complimentary Closing in my correspondence. Its meaning, as I use the word, is to pause and think about these things.)

These meditations are written by Alex M. Knight as he seeks the life in Christ as his way of life.  The meditations are published on the BLOG, http://seekingthelifeinchrist.blogspot.com/ and they are also distributed on the Constant Contact email server. You may subscribe to this email service by sending an email to: amkrom812@gmail.com. The BLOG is also available on Amazon Kindle, by subscription.

Publications by Alex M. Knight:

·        Seeking the Life in Christ, Meditations on the New Testament and Psalms is available at Amazon.com in paperback and Kindle.

·        The second edition of First Think – Then Pray is available on Amazon Kindle.

·        Meditations on The Story of My Life as told by Jesus Christ is available as an e-book on Amazon Kindle.

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188.