ON BEING CHOSEN

Of the many things we, The Churched Ones, have muddied up is the whole idea of being chosen by God to do His work. 

The thing I think we've muddied up the most is that we have come to believe we are the ones who choose the work we will do for Him.

We are all called to do God's WORK.

"Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain." (1 Corinthians 15:58)  I don't see anywhere in the New Testament where the redeemed of the Lord limit their lives to going to a building, singing songs together, listening to a sermon and then going home and forgetting about God and HIS PLANS for OUR LIVES.  NOPE. 

We are told to give ourselves FULLY to the WORK (yes... it's WORK) of the LORD. 
The Bible is filled with people who did GREAT work for God but the system is GREATLY different than the one we have created. God came beside someone and ANNOUNCED HIS PLAN for THEIR LIVES.   For example,

Abraham didn't tell God, "Hey, I think I'm qualified to be the father of a great nation and the Ancestor of Your One and Only Son. Why don't I leave my home and travel somewhere?"

Moses didn't wake up one day and say, "I think I'll see a burning bush today and then argue with God about being the deliverer of Israel."  

David wasn't expecting to leave his sheep and be anointed as the next King of Israel. He was chosen. By God.

Gideon didn't announce, "Hey people, I'm forming a new ministry here. Please join my mailing list and help me get 300 terrified men to watch as God miraculously delivers us!"

Jeremiah the Prophet didn't choose to be Jeremiah The Prophet. God said, "You're My prophet" and that was that.

Mary didn't announce to anyone, "I have decided to be the woman who gives birth to the Only Son of the Only God." No. She was chosen.

Saul did not volunteer to become Paul.  He was knocked to his feet, blinded, and then after many years, wrote most of the New Testament.

The system the Bible models is that God decides to choose someone to do something that will build His kingdom, accomplish His will... and the person He chooses says "Yes"....... or foolishly decides to say "No."

Many times the cost is great.  Many times the Person prays, "Let this cup pass from Me."  I am so comforted to read the verses where Jesus knew the cost, saw the suffering, and cared more about ME than Himself.  He did what God required of Him. Whatever work God calls us to, it's to love people, to reach people, to encourage people... to bring people HOME to their FATHER IN HEAVEN.  It isn't about what we WANT to do all the time, but about what HE CALLS US TO DO. Truth is, though, that when we are doing what God has called us to do, we find the most indescribable JOY - even if the work is difficult. 

Maybe the reason we don't see a greater harvest is that we have churches filled with singers who are not worshippers, teachers who are not teachers, pastors who are not shepherds and members who are not willing to do whatever God has called them to do/

"Yes, Lord" is the only thing to say to a Person we address as Lord.  How tragic to think we can call him "Lord" and not do the things He says.

I am not my own.
I was bought with a price.
You are not your own.
You were bought with a price.
Remember?