Chosen

“Red Rover, Red Rover - let BRI come over!”

It feels good to be chosen doesn’t it?!  Even when you’re younger and it’s just a game! Lol! It’s a desire of every person, young and old, a desire to be chosen! Like when a friend picked you to be the one to share their candy bar with, like when someone chose you to write a letter too, like when after an interview you were the one chosen for the job, like when you were proposed to - someone telling you that they chose you for ever after!  These examples were all said in past tense, but a lot of life is lived in the waiting stage too - hoping to be chosen in many different areas of life!

Like I said, to be chosen is a desire of all of ours, but there is an ultimate, above all, over-reigning, deepest desire of chosen-ness in each of us that would never be fulfilled in each of the above examples coming true -because it’s the one of God choosing you.  

God choosing you - THAT deep desire is one that is mind-blowingly fulfilled because of Jesus Christ, God’s Son in the most sacrificial act of love - giving His life for you.  He willingly went to the cross, with the heart of God for each of us, because of everyone’s penalty of sin being death.  He endured a mocking crown of sharp thorns shoved into His head, and whips designed to tear flesh. He willingly let His mockers spit on Him and hurl hurtful words at Him.  He let the soldiers hammer horribly thick nails into His wrists into a crude cross where His battered body would struggle for air.  Truly though, all of that was nothing compared to taking on the most severe punishment that no one but Him could take - the horrific punishments of every single sin ever committed and to be committed was laid on Him.  

I shudder at the evil I read about in the news and it can make one feel sick.  Imagine ALL of the horribleness and the PUNISHMENT of that laid on Jesus, the beat-up innocent one hanging there on a cross.  He could have called 10,000 angels to rescue Him. He could have silenced the mouths of the false accusers. He could have frozen the arms of the ones holding the whip that was ripping his body to shreds.  He could have had the hammer that would drive the nails into His wrists disappear from the soldiers hand, but He didn’t.  

He didn’t because He chose YOU.  He chose to hang there in agony until death took Him, because He loved YOU.  

I type this with tears in my eyes humbled by His love for us.

It’s no wonder the ground shook and the sky turned black as He drew His last breath.  And yet, the story didn’t end there!  Even death itself could not hold the Son of God down.

His love for us could not be contained by a rock grave!  His love for us could not be defeated by death!

He rose again!  He, Who knew no sin, became sin for us so that we could live with Him eternally!

He chose us out of His love for us to live with Him now on earth and forever in eternity if we only believe that He did what He so lovingly did!  Easter isn't about religion, it's about the powerful love of Jesus and that in Him is life everlasting! It's about Him making a way for us to have a personal relationship with Him, Him being our personal Savior, if we believe and confess with our mouth that He is Lord!  With Him, there's no "Red Rover" chant and tightly chained arms to break through - He says, in the most loving voice, "Come." and His arms are open wide!!!!!!!  His arms are one of my favorite places.

He is my Lord and I love Him dearly!  If He isn't your Lord - today He can be - chose Him as He has chosen you!  And if He is your Lord, celebrate His love and your chosen-ness with rejoicing this Easter!!!!

"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him, shall not perish but have everlasting life!" - John 3:16

"...I am come that they might have life and that they might have it more abundantly!"  -John 10:10b

"Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?" - John 11:25-26

With a grateful heart,

Bri