Chosen

Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ

to be holy and without fault in his eyes… 
Furthermore, because we are united with Christ,

we have received an inheritance from God, for he chose us in advance,

and he makes everything work out according to his plan.

Ephesians 1:4, 11 (NLT)

            My son shuffles down the school steps, head bowed, arms crossed tightly across his chest. Oh, boy! That certainly doesn’t look good. Wonder what’s ruined his day? I force myself to smile as he climbs into the back seat and slams the door shut.

            “Hi, sweetie,” I say, trying to instill a little enthusiasm into my voice. “How was school, today?”

            “Awful!” he snaps, dumping his backpack on the floor. “I hate P.E.”

            “What happened in P.E.?” I ask, dreading his answer. Physical Education is one of the classes that has given him the most grief over the years.

            “When they pick teams, I’m always the last one to be chosen.”

            Wallflowers understand what my son is talking about. No one likes to be odd man out. It is an intrinsic part of our human nature to yearn to belong. Rejection stings. Being excluded or uninvited smarts like a slap to the face. We automatically wonder what’s wrong with us; is it our physical appearance, our clumsiness, or our personality that makes us unpopular?

            I have good news for all you outcasts; not only does God love you, He chose you before the world was created. The thought blows my mind! Before the world existed, before Adam and Eve were created, before there was life on our planet, God loved me and chose me to be His beloved child. Before time began, God loved you and chose you to be His precious possession. Long before the earth was formed, God had a plan for each of our lives. Before that first day when God created the heaven and the earth, He was already prepared to send His beloved Son to die for our salvation. You and I were already on His mind long before He began to create life.

You are not an accident; you were chosen by God and for God, and He loves you unconditionally. Granted, you might not be the best player but, hey, your Heavenly Father picked you to be on His team. Not just for now, but for eternity.