“Behold! My Servant whom I have chosen, My Beloved in whom My soul is well pleased!” – Matthew 12:18, NKJV

After years of frustration trying to find a wife in the US, a brother travelled to Africa for a short break to do missionary work. While working with a small church in rural Uganda, he met a girl – an illiterate Sunday school teacher and fell in love with her.

People were shocked and strongly advised him against marrying her because she was a ‘village girl’ who was unfit to be the wife of a man of his caliber. Undeterred, the brother insisted that she was the one he had chosen.

He would go on to marry her in a posh wedding, after which he took his wife to the United States to live happily ever after.

Indeed, we have all made similar choices that seemed irrational if not illogical to other people – choice of car, choice of house help, choice of place to live, choice of employer, etc.

Even God has a way of raising eyebrows by the people He chooses.

In the original language, the Greek word means ‘to pick out’ or ‘make a selection’ usually basing on sheer favor.

Indeed, the theology of being ‘chosen’ was cardinal in the Old Testament. God told the Israelites that He had “chosen them to be a peculiar people unto Himself, above all the nations that are upon the earth” (Deuteronomy 14:1-2).

King David told his young son, Solomon: “the Lord hath chosen you” (1 Chronicles 28:10). Of course, given the manner of his birth, Solomon, was definitely the most unlikely to be if not undeserving of being chosen for the task of succeeding King David and building the Lord’s temple.

That thought was not lost on his father, David, who himself had been chosen and anointed king when he was still a mere lad tending the family sheep.

David said in 1 Chronicles 28:5-6, in reference to Solomon: “And of all my sons (for the LORD has given me many sons), He has chosen my son Solomon to sit on the throne of the kingdom of the LORD over Israel,” adding that indeed God had chosen Solomon to be “His son.”

In another place, God said; “I have made a covenant with My chosen. I have exalted one chosen from the people.”

Clearly, God did choose undeserving persons from the people by His will alone. More often than not, the ‘chosen’ had absolutely nothing by which they could commend themselves to God; it was all based on God’s abundant grace and mercy.  

That same theology was carried on to the New Testament era.  

In John 15:16, Jesus told His disciples: “You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you…”

If you believe in Christ, then the Bible says you were chosen “before the foundation of the world” (Eph. 1:4), regardless of whether people think you deserved it or not. God specializes in choosing undeserving people, you know.

“But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people” (1 Peter 2:9).

The poet said in Psalm 33:12, “Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD, the people He has chosen as His own inheritance.” You’re blessed because you’re chosen. Say Amen!

Prayer:

Almighty God, what a blessing it is to know that I am one of your chosen and peculiar people! May I always live my life for the glory of Your Name, Amen!