Love &Devotion (5 of 21)

Ephesians 1:4-5 (New Living Translation)  "Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes. God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure."
-He Chose Me

Discovering who you are in Jesus, is an amzing feeling of being loved,desired and useful. You are an adopted and legitimate child of God! That's a supreme actof love on God's part. In biblical the era, it was legal for a father to disown his legitimate child. However, it was illegal for one to disown his adopted child. Thank God that we'rea dopted! He had us on his mind before the beginning of time! We were lifted by his love, to a place of being found not guilty of sin because of the blood of Jesus Christ!

God doesn't make mistakes! So the choice to make you a part of his own family was not by accident. Stop singing the woe is me song; stop feeling like no one wants you and that you're all alone; stop acting so pitiful, as if love has passed you by. Listen, God chose you! You are a part of the chosen people of God, a royal priesthood (1 Peter 2:9)! So act like it! Lift up your head, dry your tears and stop living a second class existence when you've got a first class ticket in your hand!

When God chose you, verse 5 says that he found pleasure in his choice. Wow! Think about that level of love for a minute... You make God smile. Now don't go getting all beside yourself, because it's Jesus who covers us that makes us presentable to God. Thank God for Jesus, that makes us choosable!

Here's how want to wrap up this week's Love & Devotion, I want you to feel wanted. That's it! We live in an image driven society, that specializes in telling you how to feel, dress, eat, how your body should be shaped...etc...but I want you to feel wanted, because GOD CHOSE YOU just like you are. Understand that that's not a license to never change. It's a license to breathe and cultivate your relationship with God. God loves you and as you love him back, you'll notice that the way he loves you will begin to improve who you are.

Enjoy your weekend. Don't let the Super Bowl keep you from worship, because it doesn't take all day to prepare. I encourage to make a phone call, senda text, tag some friends on Facebook just to invite someone to worship with you this Sunday. Help them feel wanted by the same God that loves and adopted you. Be safe and sane in your celebrations and I'll see you Sunday at 10:45 a.m. as we talk about Part-time Lover from Hosea 1.

***Remeber that I'll return to writing on Monday, but don't stop reading!