Chosen
Picture this with me for a moment. You are a convicted serial killer, on death row awaiting your execution with several others who have committed the same crime. You have realised how wrong you were, what a grievous crime it was that you committed. You accept your punishment - you know you deserve it. No number of apologies will ever be able to rectify what you did. No countless hours of community service will pay back the debt you owe to society, to the families of the victims you killed. For taking those innocent lives, your life is required. And so you wait, hopeless, looking to the moment your life will end.
But then, your warden comes in. He looks at the group, standing there, and then motions to you. Puzzled, you follow him out. He takes you to the exit, removes your handcuffs, and opens the door. Seeing your disbelief, he explains, "Your debt has been paid. An innocent citizen volunteered to die in your place. You're free to go."
Does this story sound unbelievable? For every Christian, every person who has accepted Jesus as their Saviour and Lord, this is exactly what happened to you. You were sinful, wicked, deserving of death - and Christ came to pay your debt for you, and give you eternal life. You know that nothing you could have done would erase your guilt. Yet you have been made completely clean - all you have to do is walk through the door, and give your life to the One who saved you.
This crushes me. While some, being picked like that and given their freedom, might rejoice or be filled with pride that it was they who were chosen, I am overwhelmed with emotion. Why me? Why me? Any other person on that row could have been picked. It could have been the person on your left or on your right. But no - the Saviour decided that he wanted you. Yes, I am eternally grateful, and I do rejoice that I have been given such a gift - but I am also crushed. Who am I that I should be chosen? I have done nothing that would make God say, "Oh, I want that one. She has a kind heart, and she does enough good things that she'll deserve what I'm giving her." No. I was utterly fallen in depravity, in wickedness beyond compare - and He still said, "I want that one. Just because I love her."
Are you broken? Do you realise that nothing you can do would make God love you any more, would make Him choose you to be His child? Every single day, you should wake up praising God for His wondrous, unconditional love. He could have just as easily passed you by - you haven't done anything that would increase your worth. But He didn't. He chose you. If that isn't enough to make your heart sing for joy every moment you're alive - nothing is. If that doesn't motivate you to give your whole life to Him to do with it what He wants - I think it's time to do some examining of self.
Only once you put your soul in perspective with His utter perfection will you be able to truly say, "Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord." (Philippians 3:8)
But then, your warden comes in. He looks at the group, standing there, and then motions to you. Puzzled, you follow him out. He takes you to the exit, removes your handcuffs, and opens the door. Seeing your disbelief, he explains, "Your debt has been paid. An innocent citizen volunteered to die in your place. You're free to go."
Does this story sound unbelievable? For every Christian, every person who has accepted Jesus as their Saviour and Lord, this is exactly what happened to you. You were sinful, wicked, deserving of death - and Christ came to pay your debt for you, and give you eternal life. You know that nothing you could have done would erase your guilt. Yet you have been made completely clean - all you have to do is walk through the door, and give your life to the One who saved you.
This crushes me. While some, being picked like that and given their freedom, might rejoice or be filled with pride that it was they who were chosen, I am overwhelmed with emotion. Why me? Why me? Any other person on that row could have been picked. It could have been the person on your left or on your right. But no - the Saviour decided that he wanted you. Yes, I am eternally grateful, and I do rejoice that I have been given such a gift - but I am also crushed. Who am I that I should be chosen? I have done nothing that would make God say, "Oh, I want that one. She has a kind heart, and she does enough good things that she'll deserve what I'm giving her." No. I was utterly fallen in depravity, in wickedness beyond compare - and He still said, "I want that one. Just because I love her."
Are you broken? Do you realise that nothing you can do would make God love you any more, would make Him choose you to be His child? Every single day, you should wake up praising God for His wondrous, unconditional love. He could have just as easily passed you by - you haven't done anything that would increase your worth. But He didn't. He chose you. If that isn't enough to make your heart sing for joy every moment you're alive - nothing is. If that doesn't motivate you to give your whole life to Him to do with it what He wants - I think it's time to do some examining of self.
Only once you put your soul in perspective with His utter perfection will you be able to truly say, "Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord." (Philippians 3:8)
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