I am writing this devotion on Cyber Monday after a great Thanksgiving celebration. It is that time of year when many families take a trip to a local Christmas tree farm to choose the perfect tree to cut down and take home and decorate it for the holiday season. Last Friday was Black Friday when stores post great sales opportunities for those who want to shop early and choose the perfect gift or gifts for their family members and friends. It is that time of year when a lot of choices will be made.

Many of the choices we make in life are inconsequential, while many others may have very important outcomes, e.g. I chose to put on brown socks this morning, I could have chosen black or tan socks, so no earth-shaking consequence of my choice. However, just recently my granddaughter and her husband-to-be chose to become engaged — a truly life-changing event.

Our Scripture verse today reminds us that God also makes very important choices. We are told that God chose Israel not because they were more in number than other nations but because he loved them. So it is with us today, God has chosen us to be among his children and has given us the hope of eternal life and being with him forever in a new heaven and a new earth. God’s choice of us is no afterthought. No! In Ephesians 1:3–4, Paul declares that we were chosen in Christ before the foundation of the world.

I remember that when I was in school, we would make up a couple of baseball teams at recess time and have great fun playing ball until the bell rang. Usually, the best two players would choose their teams from the larger group that wanted to play and I was always happy when I was chosen early in the process. That is true for us because God chose us to be his treasured possession before the foundation of the world!

Let us rejoice and give thanks that God has chosen us in Christ to be members of his forever family.

Rev. Bill Monroe

Extended Scripture: Deuteronomy 7–8 (ESV)