Ephesians 1:4
“just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love”.
He chose us. Thank You Lord. We will be in heaven for eternity. The time will get better and better. As the passage says from glory to glory, it'll get better. It's the same here on earth, our walk with You gets better and better.
Many and maybe most fear submitting to You. We've all heard the complaints, Billy Joel says the sinners are "much more fun". The implication is that You want to rob us of enjoyment.
This is where the enemy has had some success. The world, the flesh and the devil want no limits and seeks to pursue some things that You want to limit or put in context. There is some pleasure in sin. Hebrews 11:25 call it "the passing pleasure of sin". Just like there is some pleasure in drugs, but the downward pull of addiction destroys.
The reality is that You limit or forbid things because the end of that way is death. Proverbs 14:12 says, "There is a way that seems right unto a man, but the end is death." You seek to rescue us from that.
The hebrews passage also says that Moses "chose to suffer ill treatment with the people of God". That's the issue, sides must be chosen. Joshua said, "Choose this day whom you will serve".
Jesus described His way in Matthew 11:30, "for My yoke is easy and my burden is light". All ways have yokes and burden. The way of sin ends up in death. Jesus' way is easy and light. This is part of the glory to glory. It gets better and better.
The allure of Egypt back in Moses' day was power, glamor and wealth. But he knew it represented the passing pleasure of sin. What financed all that was the slavery and oppression of people. The glitzy image was a front that hid the misery and enslavement of thousands. The wealth and pleasure was only for a few and that even soured in indulgence, gluttony and addiction.
I agree with David in Psalm 84:10, "I would rather stay in Your courts for a day than a thousand away". Trusting in God's sovereignty is living constantly in His presence. That's not just a positive attitude, but reality. As we invite Him into our hearts, He enters and is with us forever more.
All of this because He chose us. I've commented much about inviting Him in and "choose this day whom you will serve". That sounds like we've chosen. Jesus said in John 15:16, "You did not choose Me, but I chose you that you should bear fruit". He chose us.
We are forever grateful. We will sing Your praises forever. The fact of Your choosing is tough to grasp. It's easier when it not analyzed, but accepted. It's like He chose us for the recess time game. Not because we were so good, but because He loved us.
Look at the team God has chosen from I Corinthians 1:26,27, "For consider your calling, brothers and sisters, that there were not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble; but God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong," I love this. I am proud not to be part of the country club set. I see the license plate frames boasting of their college. I love to not do that. We don't have to be part of the cool crowd. We rejoice in who You've called us to be and whichever crowd You open the door for us to be a part of.
Thank You God for calling us. We are so grateful to be part of Your team.