THE CHOSEN ONES

May 1, 2006

This past weekend, college football players were chosen in the NFL draft for possible riches and glory.

THINK ABOUT IT

Mario Williams went No. 1 to the Texans, who aim to pressure QBs.

AP Photo/Julie Jacobson

photo courtesy espn.go.com, 04/30/06

TAKE A LOOK

Ephesians 1:3-6 - (NLT)

Spiritual Blessings

³How we praise God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we belong to Christ. ⁴Long ago, even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes. ⁵His unchanging plan has always been to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. And this gave him great pleasure. ⁶So we praise God for the wonderful kindness he has poured out on us because we belong to his dearly loved Son.

WHAT DOES TODAY'S SCRIPTURE TEACH US ABOUT BEING CHOSEN BY GOD?

Tyndale's LIFE APPLICATION STUDY BIBLE notes explain it this way:

1:4 Paul says that God "chose us" to emphasize that salvation depends totally on God. We are not saved because we deserve it but because God is gracious and freely gives salvation... there is no way to take credit for our salvation or to allow room for pride. The mystery of salvation originated in the timeless mind of God long before we existed. It is hard to understand how God could accept us. But because of Christ, we are holy and blameless in his sight. God chose us, and when we belong to him through Jesus Christ, God looks at us as if we had never sinned. All we can do is express our thanks for his wonderful love.

I can't relate to these college football stars who spent the weekend waiting to see if they would be chosen in the NFL draft and by which team? When I was a kid, I was happy if I wasn't the last one picked to be on a team when we would choose up sides during recess or a backyard game.

Paul is teaching us that God did not choose us for our goodness or abilities. We've been "picked" to know Christ, because of God's amazing, loving grace.

Some football players will experience the glory and riches that go along with making it in the NFL.

None of us would make it to Heaven on our own, but because we were chosen in Christ, we will experience the glory and riches that go along with being God's children.

TALK ABOUT IT

Take a couple of minutes to reflect on the fact that God's love for you is so great, that He chose you to know Him through Christ. Think about His unconditional love for you. Be amazed by His grace. Look forward to seeing Him face to face some day. Now just listen to His voice. Worship Him....

TRY IT

Read today's passage every day this week and meditate on God's amazing love for you.
Write down a list of ways you have already experienced the "blessings" of being chosen to be on God's team. Review this whenever you are feeling sort of left out in the world around you.
Use this Daily Devo as a conversation starter in your youth group, your small group, or to share your story with someone who needs to know God's Story.

ABOUT IT

DAILY DEVOS is brought to you by Youth for Christ. Youth for Christ works with young people on campus and in the community in over one hundred countries around the world so that they might have an opportunity to become a follower of Christ and be a part of a local church.

Byron Emmert Daily Devos is published Monday through Friday. Archives can be found at YFC.ORG. Its purpose is to help you apply truths from God's Word every day.

Our writer, Byron Emmert, has been involved with Youth For Christ for 30 years. He's served as Campus Life Staff, as a writer, and in leadership for the DCLA Conferences. Byron is married to Linda and their family includes two married sons and daughters-in-law, and a daughter in college. He loves sports, deep dish pizza, and spending time with his family.