When I was a child, I always felt I MUST have been adopted. I just did not ‘fit’ in my family. I did not argue, I did not talk back, and I did not put my siblings down. I worked hard and worked things out in my head in the quiet of my bedroom. Sounds too good to be true – right? Well, at times I did argue and talk back, but for the most part, I was a good kid. I earned good grades, was in the National Honor Society, inducted into Quill and Scroll (International Literary Society), had a lead part in a play, was a great sales woman, and received numerous awards. Because I was so accomplished, good, quiet, and internal, my parents never told the less desirable stories about me like other kid’s parents did, but then nor did my good behavior garner attention. I just sort of blended into the woodwork. Therefore, I felt I MUST have been adopted!
We are Chosen
Recently, I heard a wonderful sermon. The preacher shared how God “chose” the Apostle Paul. He reminded us that we too are chosen – handpicked! We might doubt being chosen by thinking “Well, when I’ve got my act together better” or “When I’m more worthy to be called His own.” The truth is we will never be worthy enough, or have it all together. Paul writes in Romans 5:8, “But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (ESV). God loves. God chooses. Being chosen is not dependent upon our actions. “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him” (Ephesians 1:3-4 ESV). To illustrate being chosen further, the preacher used sign language where the action for the word choose is to use your index finger and thumb and simulate picking something. God chose me! I guess I really am ADOPTED after all! And so are you, through Christ’s redeeming work on the cross, God chose us to be His sons and daughters.
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Chosen for a Purpose
How should we serve as His chosen one?
Today, I love to sew and design, cook, and iron. I follow the rules while driving and I like to dress in my nice clothes for my weekly date with God at church. I have daily quiet time with the Lord and am a prayer warrior. I have been married to the same man for 41 years.
In today’s world, it seems as if I just do not fit, after all, who really cares about someone who is faithful, concerned, and committed? To find these qualities in someone my age, I assume a younger, more worldly generation may think, “Well, she’s old – those are old world values.”
Today, I work at Concordia University Ann Arbor, Mich. for the Concordia Center for the Family (CCF). The Family Life Program is the academic arm of the Center. We actually GET how important it is to be chosen and we GET how important it is to teach and uphold these “old school” values and qualities.
This is where God has prepared me to serve by understanding what it must feel like to be adopted. The strong faith God has grown in me and value system I grew up in prepared me to be a champion for the family, the home. The Family Life Program and the Concordia Center for the Family passes on faith and life values as it works with students, hospitals, social service agencies, and the church to assist families with support, care, training, encouragement, and love. Look at the world today – if ever there is a time to step up and help families embrace Godly values – now is the time. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, we can be champions for godly values and the Christian home, and have all God’s children know they are ADOPTED and heirs of the heavenly kingdom!
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Is God challenging you to attend Concordia University Ann Arbor and major in Family Life? Is He asking you to support the CCF for more research, training, and scholarships to ultimately affect families and homes? If so, please visit www.cuaa.edu/familylife or call 734.995.4609.
