Chosen?

    You Probably Remember a time when people were being chosen and you might not have been the first? Maybe it was in gym class when they were choosing teams? Or maybe it was at a dance when they were choosing someone to dance with? Surely we all share the experience of being the one that was not chosen first...and maybe not second? I can tell you as a girl that wore glasses and was new to a school I was not the first chosen or any of the ones chosen until the very last. 
     As a girl you are often over looked by team captains that are trying to choose the strongest and fastest! And as a girl wearing glasses you are also overlooked when a guy is looking for the "hottest" girl to dance with. But it's okay, don't think it's a sad thing...at the time it was hard and it did feel sad, but that was a long time ago and I've received other character qualities that have balanced out any negative emotions I went through in the physical area and I even bloomed into a time of "hotness"!.  =D  
     But by those experiences some wisdom developed in the understanding of human nature that has helped through life! People are often shallow, they take a great deal of things on face value...totally ignoring the old saying, "Don't judge a book by it's cover". 
     This brings us back to a different thought line though~ I've often thought about the verse Matthew 22:14 "For many are called, but few are chosen", and I've been bothered by the idea that in God's word there is even an area for people to not be chosen! I don't want to go through that feeling again! I don't want to not be chosen! And this is a way bigger deal than a gym class game or a school dance! I have set myself to do what I need to do to be chosen! 
     We are all called/invited but we will not all be chosen! Doesn't that stir discomfort in you? I am not trying to cause fear, but awareness! We can not be complacent in our walk with God. We need to strive, if we were going to a dance, we'd be looking our best right?! You know we'd make every effort to be one that was chosen! Now I'm encouraging you to make every effort to be one of the few that is chosen in Matthew 22:14! 
     I want to point you to Paul's words in 1 Corinthians 9, that speak about not taking a life of ease, but to keep pushing ourselves to win the race! He says he treats his body hard and makes it his slave! How many of us have pushed ourselves to that point? Right now I need to start pushing my body, it feels more like I'm a slave to it than it is to me! I feed it when it wants me to, I let it rest when it wants to...I pretty much give my body what it wants! But according to Paul's words that kind of behaviour could cost me a lot! It could make me lose the race that I so long want to win! So, I urge you to start training to win your race! dig into your Bible, read it, study it, spend time in prayer, not the asking kind of prayer, but the praising, thanking kind! Put a good praise song on and listen to the words, let them become a song in your heart!  
     Beloved, we all want to be chosen, don't be a slave to your will, but push yourself! Follow the Holy Spirit, He is a great Trainer Who will get you in shape to be chosen!


"I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus." Philippians 3:14

"For many are called, but few are chosen." Matthew 22:14

You know that in a race all the runners run but only one gets the prize. So run to win! All those who compete in the games use self-control so they can win a crown. That crown is an earthly thing that lasts only a short time, but our crown will never be destroyed. So I do not run without a goal. I fight like a boxer who is hitting something--not just the air. I treat my body hard and make it my slave so that I myself will not be disqualified after I have preached to others. 1 Corinthians 9:24-27 NCV   (The Amplified version is really good for these verses also!)