When God Chooses ~Jay Launius, Maud, TX Church of Christ~
When we were kids and chose teams for a playground ballgame, the biggest, fastest and best players were always picked first. That left the scrawny and weaker kids to be chosen last. That’s just the way it was and still is today. In our society, the strongest, best looking, most talented and wealthiest are the people chosen to succeed and be admired by all. Celebrity worship is prevalent in our country, thus leaving the less-famous to be considered less important and the last to be chosen by our culture.
However, when it comes to God’s Kingdom, the opposite is true. God always seemed to choose the underdog to serve Him and complete His missions. He chose Gideon, the “least in his father’s house” to save Israel from the Midianites (Judges 6). God chose David, a shepherd boy to be king over His people because “the LORD does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.” (1 Samuel 16:7).
When Jesus came to earth, He didn’t appear as a magnificent specimen of a man. The old prophet said of Him, “he had no form or majesty that we should look at him, and no beauty that we should desire him.” (Isaiah 53:2 ESV). Jesus probably wouldn’t have been first pick for the team. When it came to choosing the twelve Apostles, He didn’t pick the most likely candidates. Some fishermen and a hated tax collector would be among those chosen to take the gospel to the world.
So where does that leave us? The Scriptures are clear that God has given the gospel call to every person (Romans 1:16; Titus 2:11) whether beautiful or homely, rich or poor, gifted or challenged. Jesus said it is the attitude, not the physical trait that is important and God seeks the meek and humble, not the proud and arrogant. The Lord said many times, “So the last will be first, and the first last. For many are called, but few chosen.” (Matthew 20:16). Therefore, even though we may not be the best, the most talented, or the best looking, there is always a place for us in God’s family. (1 Corinthians 12).
_________________________________________________________________________
GOD’S Timing Is Perfect ~Matt Langfield, North Main Street Church of Christ, Mockville, NC~
When Joseph was sold into slavery by his brothers (Genesis 37), he could have described the timing as less than ideal. He had intended to return to his father, but his brothers had other ideas. When Joseph was falsely accused of immorality by Potiphar’s wife (Genesis 39), his plans quickly changed; he expected to “do his work” but ended up imprisoned (Genesis 39:11, 20). When the chief cupbearer “did not remember Joseph, but forgot him,” failing to mention his innocence to Pharaoh, Joseph paid the price and spent two additional years in jail (Genesis 40:23; 41:1). Surely, he would have preferred to be set free.
How frustrating might it have been for Joseph’s life to be repeatedly flipped upside down by the people around him and events that seemed totally out of his control? But Joseph would eventually realize that what was most important in his life was not his ideal, plans, or timing, but God’s. God used the sin and wickedness around Joseph in combination with His perfect timing to save or “to preserve many people alive” (Genesis 50:20).
In our own lives, we may have plans and ideas about how we would like things to unfold, but what is far more critical are God’s plans for each of us. No matter how wonderful or frustrating things might seem, we need to trust in God and His perfect timing in every circumstance of life.
________________________________________________________________________
“If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well:” James 2:8
Leave a Reply