We are Chosen by God

But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.

(1 Peter 2:9)

My life before Christ was pretty bleak and dark. There were brief moments of happiness, like the times my children were born, but mostly I wasn’t a very happy person. I really didn’t like most people. I was never mean to anyone, but I would use them to get what I wanted. I thought I wanted to party. I thought I had to get drunk or high in order to have a good time. What I was really doing was searching for something I didn’t even know existed. A hand-up, lifting me out of the darkness.

I have to hit the pause button, on my somewhat busy life these days to think for a moment what it means to be part of a chosen people. I am chosen; believers are all a chosen people! That is a pretty weighty responsibility he’s laid on the shoulders of the followers of Jesus Christ. He didn’t pluck me out of the darkness, that was my life, to be a lukewarm Christian. He chose me to be 24/7/365, on fire for Christ, Christians. He has given me the charge to tell the unbelieving world about his Son and I can’t do that if I’m indistinguishable from the rest of society.

I’ll admit that I’m usually an overly zealous American patriot; conservative to my core. I get caught up in the political and nationalistic fervor of the American election cycles. I don’t apologize for wanting my country to return to its Christian roots, but I am sorry when my zeal upsets some people. However, all that being said, I am only a temporary resident of this country. I have to remind myself that my true citizenship lies in the Kingdom of God. I am eternally a citizen of a real holy nation.

I’m pretty sure that everyone reading this (except for people who’ve been believers since childhood) has a past that was pretty dark. I know I do. Sometimes my mind drifts back to those days and I deeply regret the way I used to be. I wish I had come to Christ much earlier in my life. Then I remember, I am God’s special possession; he has forgiven and forgotten every terrible thing I ever did! He does the same thing for everyone who submits to his will. I will forever praise Jesus for rescuing me from the darkness, then standing with me in his wonderful light.

Lord God in heaven, you are the great judge and it was your decision to offer us a Redeemer who could pay the ransom for our freedom from sin. For those of us who have elected to accept the redemptive gift of salvation, we have become a chosen people. Not because we have done something special or deserving. Our only boast in in you Lord. We have become the citizens of a holy nation, the Kingdom of our God. You have called us from despair into confidence. You have taken us under your care and call us your sons and daughters. We belong to you and we are grateful to be your possession. Father please give us your zeal for the lost. Help us to share the gospel of Christ Jesus with anyone who hasn’t heard it yet. We lift our voices to declare your praises to an unsaved world that desperately needs you. Most of all, dear Lord, we thank you for lifting us out of the darkness that was once our lives and carried us into the light where you are. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen!