54. Chosen by God.

"You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit - fruit that shall last." (John 15:16) He doesn't choose us halfway along this journey of life, but chose us even before the creation of the world! 'For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight.' (Ephesians 1:4) Isn't it strange that unlike men, God chose us even before we did anything good or bad - 'in order that God's purpose in election might stand: not by works but by him who calls' (Romans 9:11-12) - for he knows who will respond to the truth! 'For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son ... And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified ...' (Romans 8:29-30) But He waits patiently for the opportune time, before he calls us because he knows that we wouldn't heed to his call until the appointed time. This is what Paul had to say of his calling: 'For you have heard of my previous way of life in Judaism ... But when God, who set me apart from my mother's womb and called me by his grace, was pleased to reveal his Son in me so that I might preach him among the Gentiles, I did not consult any man ...' (Galatians 1:13-15) God calls us by our name, as he did Saul, on the road to Damascus (Acts 9:4) and has a plan for our lives, just as he said of Saul: "This man is my chosen instrument to carry my name before the Gentiles and their kings and before the people of Israel."(Vs 15) Find out your assignment in life and fulfill it! He has appointed us to bear fruit- fruit that shall last! 'All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.'(Psalm 139:16) Amen.