You did not choose me but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go bear fruit – fruit that will last – and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you. John 15:16
Left out. It’s highly likely that feeling left out is something each of us has felt at some point in time. Maybe you are feeling left out of something right this very moment.
Chose last for the kickball team.
Not allowed to sit at the cool kids table.
Didn’t get the job we wanted.
Weren’t asked to be on the church committee.
You get the picture. Not being included or chosen can leave anyone feeling lonely, worthless and sad. In Junior High School, my biggest dream was to be a cheerleader. I wanted to shake the pom poms, chant the cheers and have a ready-made set of best friends; all while wearing a super cute red and white uniform. Every day I would practice the few cheers I knew from the pep rallies over and over in preparation for tryouts. When they finally came, I just knew I was ready. I wore my black shorts and white tank with my little number sticker with pride. When my group was called I chanted my cheer and danced my dance and the only thing I was unsure of was that doggone herkie. But I gave it my all and let my gangly arms and legs do their thing; cheer, dance, jump – sort of. I felt like I had finished well but when the names were posted, I walked away broken while my would be best friends celebrated excitedly.
Disappointment like this can be devastating and for my 7th grade heart, it was. But it doesn’t have to be that way.
The bible says, “You did not choose me but I choose you and appointed you so that you might go bear fruit – fruit that will last – and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you.” John 15:16
Think about this for a minute. The God of the universe chose US. He chose us! He would pick us for His kickball team. And He would let us sit at the lunch table with Him. And He has given us a job to do. You see He personally handpicked each of us to love and to call His own. Did you see it in the verse? “I choose you!” That is beyond exciting! And not only did he choose us, but he appointed us! How important does that sound? We are appointed by God to go bear fruit – meaning we are tasked with certain jobs to do IN HIS NAME!
Friends, we are never left out when we say yes to Jesus. When you make Him the Lord of your life you have a ready-made family that spreads throughout the whole world. I finally made it onto a cheerleader team when I got to high school. I must say, the three years I spent cheer chanting and dancing were nothing compared to the time I have spent cheering others on towards Christ.
There was no coincidence. It didn’t happen by chance. There was nothing that you did to earn it. God chose you. He chose to love you. He chose to save you. Before you chose to call Him Lord, He chose to call you His.
