Do you remember playing eeny, meany, miney, moe on the playground as a child? The final line of the chant is “My mother told me to pick the very best one and that is you.” Well, we don’t get to pick and choose everything in life. Some things are chosen for us.
I love reading historical fiction. I love reading about the pioneers pursuing their dreams as they forged out west developing new lands, but I never wanted to be one of them. While I enjoyed spending a week at the dude ranch in Colorado, the whole idea of having to ride horses daily, do housework in long dresses and petticoats, and only bathing once a week has never appealed to me. I wouldn’t have chosen to live in that time period.
God knew what He was doing allowing me to be born when I was. Acts 17:26 says the Lord determined the exact time we would be born and the exact place we would live. Whether our parents planned us or not, the Lord did. He had a plan for us from the very beginning [Ephesians 1:11-12]. His plans for us are good and we can trust them [Jeremiah 29:11].
We don’t get to choose the family we’re born into; however, we do get to choose to be part of God’s family or not. He offers Himself to us and it is up to us to say yes or no [Revelation 3:20]. If we choose Jesus, then nothing will ever separate us from Him [Romans 8:38-39]. John 10:29 says once we say “yes” to Jesus, no one can snatch us out of the Father’s hand.
Whether you had a wonderful childhood with safety and security or a troubled childhood where you never felt safe, when you say “yes” to Jesus you can rest in knowing you are safe with the Father. He’s got you securely in the palm of His hand. He loves you and will never leave you nor forsake you [Deuteronomy 31:6]. You are His child [John 1:12]. You are not a slave or a servant He has around to work for Him but His child [Romans 8:15]. You are a child of the King of kings and the Lord of lords [Revelations 17:14].
Romans 5:8 says “But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” He chose us. He didn’t have to choose us. No one was around to make Him choose us. He did so out of a heart filled with love for us. We each have a decision to make. We have to decide if we will choose Him or our own path? Will we choose His ways or our own?
Joshua 24:15 put it this way: “But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your forefathers served beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD.” This is a daily decision. The enemy will throw many options your way to distract you. Tune him out [James 4:7]. Listen to your mother’s advice and choose the very best one. Who will you choose?