Chosen With a Price
What does it mean to be chosen by God? From Ezekiel 20, being chosen by God is an awesome thing, but it comes with a price. Throughout this chapter, I get a sense that God is very sad because despite all of the things He did for His chosen people, they still abandoned Him to their idols. Here are some quick thoughts: Being “chosen” means:
1) Being loved by a jealous but loving God who is deeply saddened when His chosen ones don’t do what He asks of them.
2) Being blessed beyond what we deserve, just because God loves us.
3) Being obligated to follow God because He chose us for His glory – that others may know that He is God. (1 Cor 6:19-20)
We are all chosen by God to take part in His kingdom because God is not willing that any should perish. We are also chosen so that we may show others that God is indeed God. However, if we do not accept what He has done for us in the gift of His son, then we will reap the consequences – forever. In Ezekiel, God must pour out His fury upon Israel for His name’s sake (Ez 20:8-9) because if He doesn’t He will look bad to the other nations because of Israel’s behavior. In our lives, not obeying God can mean a couple of things:
1) We never accepted the gift of salvation in the first place and thus we are condemned.
2) We accepted the gift of salvation and spend our lives either serving God or not serving God, each of which have consequences, good and bad. Jesus says to each of us in John 15:16 that:
Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it to you.
He has chosen us so that we can bear “fruit” that remains. The cost of being chosen is the expectation that we will live our lives for God and not ourselve. The cost is great but the rewards are phenomenal. How will you choose to live?
I am always overwhelmed at the thought that God chose me. I look at my life and am so grateful that He loved me that much. His love compels me to love Him with all my heart.
I am so grateful to have been chosen by him, I have no greater desire than to serve him. Thanks for sharing
Thank you for sharing this.
When I reflect back on my life and review the good and the not so good, I realize that God was there all along. How patient he was with me knowing at some point, I would say”here I am Lord.” The fact that “before he knit us in our mothers womb, he knew us, is enough for me.
Hi Janna,
How will you choose to live? Phenomenally…. I am utterly undone to ponder God choosing me… Amazed, I tell you. Amazed.