Chosen. Does the word bring back memories of a childhood game—being chosen for a particular team? Nobody wanted to be chosen last.
The word took on special meaning in my adult years as I began to understand the honor of being chosen by God to serve him in a distinctive way. Stories throughout the Bible confirm this is the way he works, choosing people for a specific task and empowering them to complete the assignment.
As I read I kept a folder of every reference to chosen or called or created or formed for a purpose. My folder included people whose lives illustrated a calling from God—Noah, Abraham, Joseph, Moses, Joshua, Gideon, Jeremiah…to name a few.
“And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually…And the Lord said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth…But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord…Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations, and Noah walked with God…And God said unto Noah…Make thee an ark…” (see Genesis 6:4-14).
“Now the Lord had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will shew thee: And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing” (Genesis 12:1-2).
Joseph told his brothers who had sold him into slavery, “But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive” (Genesis 50:20).
“Now Moses kept the flock of Jethro his father in law, the priest of Midian: and he led the flock to the backside of the desert, and came to the mountain of God, even to Horeb. And the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush…God called unto him out of the midst of the bush, and said, Moses, Moses…I have surely seen the affliction of my people which are in Egypt, and have heard their cry…I will send thee unto Pharaoh, that thou mayest bring forth my people the children of Israel out of Egypt” (see Exodus 3:1-10).
After the death of Moses, the Lord said to Joshua, “arise, go over this Jordan, thou and all this people, unto the land which I do give to them, even to the children of Israel” (Joshua 1:2).
Gideon was threshing wheat in a winepress. “And the angel of the Lord appeared unto him, and said unto him, The Lord is with thee, thou mighty man of valor…And the Lord looked upon him, and said, Go in this thy might, and thou shalt save Israel from the hand of the Midianites: have I not sent thee?” (see Judges 6:12-14).
The Lord said to Jeremiah, “Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou cameth forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations” (Jeremiah 1:5).
Could it also be true that before he formed me, he knew me and had a purpose for my life? I’m certain he did! The same is true for you.
Do you know how awesome it is that God has chosen you for a purpose? Maybe you’ve never considered that or discovered your calling. Listen to this:
“This people have I formed for myself; they shall shew forth my praise” (Isaiah 43:21).
You are chosen…called…created…formed to show forth his praise! That’s a mighty purpose! So get going. You have work to do.
Do you remember a time when the Lord spoke in your heart revealing a special calling? I’d love to hear about it. And please share this with your friends!
© Dianne Barker 2019