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His Choice By Joe Stowell
Read: 2 Thessalonians 2:13-17
God from the beginning chose you for salvation. —2 Thessalonians 2:13
When our children were small, I often prayed with them after we tucked them into bed. But before I prayed, I sometimes would sit on the edge of the bed and talk with them. I remember telling our daughter Libby, “If I could line up all the 4-year-old girls in the world, I would walk down the line looking for you. After going through the entire line, I would choose you to be my daughter.” That always put a big smile on Libby’s face because she knew she was special.
If that was a smile-worthy moment for her, think of the grace-filled fact that the Creator-God of the universe “from the beginning chose you for salvation” (2 Thess. 2:13). Before time began, He desired to make you His own. This is why Scripture often uses the picture of adoption to communicate the amazing reality that, through no merit or worthiness of our own, we have been chosen by Him.
This is stunning news! We are “beloved by the Lord” (v.13) and enjoy the benefits of being part of His family. This glorious truth should fill our lives with humility and gratitude. “Now may our Lord Jesus Christ Himself, and our God and Father, who has loved us . . . establish you in every good word and work” (vv.16-17).
I will be forever grateful that I am Your child,
Father, and that You love me! Teach me to remember
all the benefits of belonging to You, and may I
serve You faithfully as part of Your family.
It’s God’s choice to love you and to make you part of His family.
INSIGHT: In Paul’s first letter to the Thessalonians, he assured the believers that they were loved by God and chosen (1:4 niv). In today’s reading, Paul reiterates this by saying, “God from the beginning chose you for salvation” (v.13). That God “chooses” people is taught in Scripture (Deut. 7:6-8; Isa. 44:1-2; Rom. 8:28-33; 9:11; Eph. 1:4-6,11; Titus 1:1; 1 Peter 1:1-2). Although a person is “chosen” before the creation of the world (Eph. 1:4-5; 2 Tim. 1:9), this becomes evident in life when one believes in the Lord Jesus Christ (2 Thess. 2:13-14).
Read: 2 Thessalonians 2:13-17
God from the beginning chose you for salvation. —2 Thessalonians 2:13
When our children were small, I often prayed with them after we tucked them into bed. But before I prayed, I sometimes would sit on the edge of the bed and talk with them. I remember telling our daughter Libby, “If I could line up all the 4-year-old girls in the world, I would walk down the line looking for you. After going through the entire line, I would choose you to be my daughter.” That always put a big smile on Libby’s face because she knew she was special.
If that was a smile-worthy moment for her, think of the grace-filled fact that the Creator-God of the universe “from the beginning chose you for salvation” (2 Thess. 2:13). Before time began, He desired to make you His own. This is why Scripture often uses the picture of adoption to communicate the amazing reality that, through no merit or worthiness of our own, we have been chosen by Him.
This is stunning news! We are “beloved by the Lord” (v.13) and enjoy the benefits of being part of His family. This glorious truth should fill our lives with humility and gratitude. “Now may our Lord Jesus Christ Himself, and our God and Father, who has loved us . . . establish you in every good word and work” (vv.16-17).
I will be forever grateful that I am Your child,
Father, and that You love me! Teach me to remember
all the benefits of belonging to You, and may I
serve You faithfully as part of Your family.
It’s God’s choice to love you and to make you part of His family.
INSIGHT: In Paul’s first letter to the Thessalonians, he assured the believers that they were loved by God and chosen (1:4 niv). In today’s reading, Paul reiterates this by saying, “God from the beginning chose you for salvation” (v.13). That God “chooses” people is taught in Scripture (Deut. 7:6-8; Isa. 44:1-2; Rom. 8:28-33; 9:11; Eph. 1:4-6,11; Titus 1:1; 1 Peter 1:1-2). Although a person is “chosen” before the creation of the world (Eph. 1:4-5; 2 Tim. 1:9), this becomes evident in life when one believes in the Lord Jesus Christ (2 Thess. 2:13-14).