Chosen and Beloved

“You did not choose Me, but I chose you” (John 15:16a)

When Jesus says these words to his disciples, they ring through time and into our hearts.

Have you ever thought about that?

You have been chosen.

From the beginning of time, you have been chosen for a purpose:

“and I appointed you to go and bear fruit – fruit that will remain – so that whatever you ask the Father in My name He will give you.” (John 15:16b)

Here’s the rub - we get to choose whether to accept it or not.

Whatever gifts, talents, challenges, or blessings you have been given, they are all meant to bear fruit that will remain. They are all meant for more than our own experience. How often do we see our lives with that perspective? I imagine for most of us, the answer is, "Not as often as I would like."

Every day, we make this choice. We have a role to play in this world. Will we play the one we’ve been chosen for? If we think about our lives this way more often, I’m pretty sure the answer will be clear.