YOU HAVE BEEN CHOSEN

1 Peter 2:9-10 But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; 10 who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy.

There is at least one in every classroom...The teacher asks for a volunteer or asks a question and that one kid immediately raises his/her hand.  Not only do they raise their hand, they wave it.  And if that isn't enough, they get their mouth involved and the classroom is filled with "ooh, ooh, ooh" or "me, me, me" because they want to be CHOSEN.  Perhaps you were more like me.  It wasn't that I didn't know the answer or was too lazy to volunteer; deep down I wanted to be CHOSEN but I was too shy to raise my hand and I definitely didn't want everyone looking my way as my name was called.

No one wants to hear, "I guess you HAVE to be on my team," because you are the only one left standing on the sideline.  And it certainly doesn't give your self-esteem a boost when you've been asked to do something and a "friend" feels the need to elevate themselves by informing you that "they were asked first but had to decline, so you were chosen."  We all have a desire to be picked out of the crowd; set aside for a special purpose; CHOSEN.

In the Old Testament of the Bible, we find that a select group of people were called THE CHOSEN.  The Israelites or Jewish people were set aside as God's CHOSEN PEOPLE.  It doesn't seem fair that God, who is no "respecter of persons," would pick out a specific people-group from all the other people-groups in the world to be His CHOSEN.  So why?  How did the Jewish people come to be chosen?  Is there a key to being chosen?  Or was God just in a certain mood on the day He chose Israel?    Maybe on another day, He would have chose a different nation.

Could the key to being CHOSEN be as simple as three little words: HEAR, TRUST and OBEY!  Consider Israel, God's Chosen People...It all began with ONE man.  Abram wasn't born to the most holy, religious family and I don't believe he was walking around with his hand raised to Heaven, yelling, "ooh, ooh, me, me; please pick me."  Abram was 75 years old when God "made the call."  God gave him some instructions but very little detail.  The Bible doesn't explain where Abram's trust in God came from, but he HEARD the voice of God, he TRUSTED and he OBEYED.  Genesis 12:4 So Abram departed as the Lord had spoken to him.

Hebrews 11:8 BY FAITH, Abraham OBEYED when he was CALLED to go out to the placed which he would receive as an inheritance.  And he went out, not knowing where he was going.

As we continue to read about Abram/Abraham's life, we find that every time he obeyed through faith. Because of Abraham's unwavering faith and obedience to God, his descendants became THE CHOSEN.

Abraham was not unique, read Hebrews 11.  Noah DID come from a "good" family.  As a matter of fact, the Bible takes the time to trace his lineage right back to Adam...Lamech, Methusaleh, Enoch, Jared, Mahalalel, Cainain, Enosh, Seth, Adam.  The Bible tells us that Noah had many brothers and sisters; after all his father lived 777 years.  WHY NOAH?  Genesis 6 tells us that the world had become so evil that every thought and intent of man was evil, BUT NOAH!  Genesis 6:9 Noah was a just man, perfect in his generations. NOAH WALKED WITH GOD.  God made "the call."  Noah HEARD, responded by FAITH and OBEYED the instructions.  Genesis 6:22 Thus Noah did; according to all that God commanded him, so he did.

Hebrews 11:7  By faith, Noah, being divinely warned of things not yet see, moved with Godly fear, prepared an ark for the saving of his household, by which he condemned the world and became the heir of the righteousness which is according to faith.

All throughout history, God has CHOSEN men and women, who were not special or had awesome abilities.  God's CHOSEN are people, just like you and me.  People that will HEAR the call, by FAITH respond and in an act of OBEDIENCE follow the instructions,

YOU'VE BEEN CHOSEN!!!  GOD WANTS YOU ON HIS TEAM!!!  God calls on the "little boy" who has no "athletic" prowess, standing hopeful on the sideline.  He calls on the "little girl" who knows the answer but is too shy to raise her hand.  He calls the grandmother who thinks she has "nothing left to offer."  And God calls the grandfather who feels as if his "best days are over."  God has a plan and He has chosen you; now He waits for you to respond, "Here I am , send me."  

YOU HAVE BEEN CHOSEN!!!