Why were you chosen and saved by God? You are to be a sparkling jewel in the King’s crown, the bride of Christ. Get ready for that glorious day when you will be with the Lord, praising him forever!
“Why has God chosen me? Why not someone else?”
Maybe you’ve wondered that. Hi, I’m Joni Eareckson Tada and it is a question every Christian asks himself. I’ve asked that question many times. Especially at times when I feel so unworthy. There have been seasons when my sin and unworthiness overwhelm me and I feel so undeserving. Like, who am I that God should forgive me, include me, save me?! And I just bet you’ve felt the same. Like, who are you? I mean, of all the billions of people, how is it that God foreknew you, chose you, called, and predestined you for adoption into his family? And why?! Well, that question, at least, is answered clearly in Ephesians 1:11-12.
Because God chose you, get this, to be a gift, a glorious, praise-worthy gift for his Son, Jesus. You are a gift, his treasured possession. You have been called to bring Jesus great pleasure and delight. You are predestined to be his beloved and much-admired. Like it says in Ephesians, “in him we were also chosen . . . in order that we might be for the praise of his glory.” Oh, friend, you are a flashing and iridescent gift. It says you will “sparkle in his land like a jewel in a crown.” And then Zechariah 9:17 adds, “How attractive and beautiful you will be.” Like you, I don’t feel very beautiful or even attractive to the Lord, but a day is coming when all of heaven will turn the spotlight on the Lord Jesus. All of the universe will bow its knee and hail our Savior as King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Jesus will raise His sword in victory over death, the devil, and disease.
And in that breathless moment—an infinite moment—we will finally comprehend that the whole plan of redemption, I mean, the reason we were called, and chosen, and predestined; is all because the Father wanted to secure for his Son a Bride, a beautiful, radiant, spotless bride. God has called us, he’s chosen us to be that rich inheritance for Christ to enjoy as his treasured possession. Jesus will have in us an army of worshipers, a mighty choir that simply cannot stop singing his praises, a chorus of eternal worshippers. It’ll be so, so, so easy to worship God in heaven; effortless; totally unforced and natural, all because we shall finally understand the depth of his grace in covering the worst of our sin. Oh, friend, if you ever wondered why God chose you, it’s for this. You are to eternally praise him for that.
Which means, come on, you and I need to get ready. We need to start practicing for that glorious day. We need to be asking the Spirit to help us get prepared; shine his light into our hearts, show us our transgressions, expose our sin, give us strength to repent from it, Jesus. That’s our business here on earth. Because my life and your life here? Well, earth is like one big diamond mine out of which we are being chiseled. And with every trial here on earth, we are being chiseled, we’re being cut from the dirt, we’re being cleansed, polished, and fitted for a King’s crown. We are being prepared as a radiant bride. We’re being polished for his inheritance.
So, there’s your calling. That’s why you’ve been were saved, why you were chosen. You were predestined to get ready for that glorious day. So, be about getting polished and fitted and cleaned. Be holy as Christ is holy. And today? Live to the praise of his glory and grace.
© Joni and Friends