For we know, brothers and sisters loved by God, that he has chosen you, 1 Thessalonians 1:4

Every person likes to be wanted or chosen. It gives them a sense of value and worth. It encourages and strengthens a person to continue moving forward.

Deep hurts have scared people for life, when as a child, they were not chosen on a regular basis when playing games or sports. It gives the person a sense that they have no value and that no one wants them at all. This often creates problems that continue into adulthood.

Paul tells the Thessalonian church that he knows that they are loved by God and that He had chosen them.

Some, with a selfish pride, feel as if they are the one who had chosen God. It is placed completely upon what they said or did, leaving God out of the picture.

While a person must choose to believe in Jesus, God has to choose the person first. In His perfect and eternal love, God ALWAYS chooses everyone first.

God does not want anyone to perish, but all to be saved. His love begins before any person can possibly begin to love Him. It is started when the person still hates Him and is against Him. This love started before the creation of the world and continues to this day for each and every person that walks upon this earth.

However not everyone recognizes God’s great love for them. Some do not see that God has already chosen them to forgive them and save them. These people chose to live in selfish pride and sin, rejecting the one who died for them to save them.

Those who have chosen to believe in Jesus, have chosen to recognize that God loves them and has already chosen them. This is why they put aside selfishness and sin to follow Jesus.

Whether you believe in Jesus or not, God has already chosen you. He loves you with an eternal and perfect love that cannot end, regardless of how you live your life.

Take a moment to think about how much love God has for you, in that He, Creator of the universe, has chosen you while you still hated Him. As you allow that thought to sink in, choose today to believe in and follow Jesus, because of His great love for you in choosing you. Know that you are of great value to God.

Today I pray that you will know Jesus as your Lord and Savior; that you will know that God has chosen you; that you will know God’s great love for you; that you will choose to believe in and follow Jesus; and that you will know your value in Christ Jesus.