Sunday Writing... 5-5-19... "CHOOSING"

Good morning!

In today's devotional, "CHOOSING," we read about all kinds of choices we have in life.  We like to be able to choose.  But there is one very important thing that we do not choose, and that is God.  Read on to understand what this means.

Blessings,
Jan

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Today's Devotional: 

"CHOOSING"

by

Jan Andersen

I love having choices - to a point, anyway!  I walk down the aisles of the grocery store and I am confronted with so many choices, sometimes it is overwhelming.  My dad has commented in the past there are way too many choices - who needs 50 different kinds of toothpaste?!  My husband and I found one thing in the grocery store which usually has only one or two choices, and that is barley.  We had to get help from a store employee just to find it once, because it was dwarfed by everything else that had a gazillion choices.  Some might say if the number of choices in the store drives you crazy, why not order on-line?  Well, you will likely find even more choices on the computer from which to choose, not just of the item but of where to buy it.  Perhaps the future holds promise of just thinking of what you want and it will appear at your doorstep - or better yet put itself away - ha!

There are many choices when it comes to religions as well, and even within religions there are a variety of different branches or denominations.  It gives the impression that you can just choose the one that agrees with you the best.  Different religions worship different gods, but the Bible tells us there is only one true God - that of the Christian religion.  But some define “Christian” differently than others.  It becomes even more confusing when you look at all the different denominations of christians.  Each one thinks it has the “right take” on the Bible and God’s design for the church body.  Some people choose which to follow based on how they were raised and remain in the church body of their family.  Others defiantly choose something totally different, or just find that one church that seems more friendly, more inclusive, more  generationally diverse, or whatever “more” they want.  

In all this "choosing" some people believe they chose God.  It is important to note that God says He chose us, not the other way around!  He says that we are dead in our trespasses, and dead people can do nothing to be saved.  It takes God to make us alive in Christ by grace through faith, not because of anything we can do.  That includes choosing to follow God.  The only choice we really have is to reject Him.  It’s like a baby cannot choose to be picked up by a parent,  but it can choose lie still and remain there or to wiggle and try to get out of their hands.  So God chose us and we can only choose to remain in Him or to reject Him.  Apart from Him we can do nothing.

John 15:5-6, & 16  ESV  “I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.  If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned… You did not choose me, but I chose you…”

Our response to already having been chosen by God is to do the good works for which we were created to do.  We do our best to be good followers of Christ (even though we will never be perfect at it) out of thanks to God for the salvation Christ already earned for us on the cross. 

Dear God in heaven, thank you for choosing me!  Help my faith to grow through the power of the Holy Spirit, so that I may continue to abide in Christ by grace through that faith.  Help me to show my ongoing thanks through continued good works, which will witness to others about your love for all.  In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.                  

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SONG:

JESUS YOU ARE WORTHY

Ben Cantelon

("You did this all to make me a chosen child of God")

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Ephesians 2:4-5

Ephesians 2:8-9

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Prayers are lifted up daily for you by the Devotional Writers and the Monthly Writing Staff of Women's Focus Ministries

Blog Writers

Sandy Billingham, Karen Bennett, 

 Brother Thomas Ukwute, Jody Ward,  

Bre Miller, Betty Espindola,  Lynda Kinnard

Amie Spruiell, Debbie Rodriguez, Carol Steficek,

Jan Andersen and Corinne Mustafa