Chosen Generation

Apparently God has been trying to get my attention for some time now and I'm just now picking up on it, but the theme of the campus ministries that I've gotten involved in during the last several weeks has been 'Chosen'. The wonderful speakers that visited for CSM the last two weeks have both spoken on finding our identity in God and no one else. The theme verse for this month is 1 Peter 2:9 'But God chose you to be his people. You are royal priests. You are a holy nation. You are a people who belong to God. All of this is so that you can sing his praises. He brought you out of darkness into his wonderful light.' He brought us out of darkness. He chose us specifically for the purpose that he has set before us. When these messages were first given I didn't think much of it except that they were both wonderful messages given from the hearts of two beloved men of God. Then, tonight as I was sitting in Blueprint listening to Jason Garris speak on the story of Zacchaeus and how we are all chosen and would be nowhere without God it hit me. GOD STOP TIME! This is exactly what He's been wanting me to realize! Jason mentioned one verse tonight that really stuck with me. It was John 15:16 'You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you.' We did NOT choose God. That's a phrase that is commonly used when someone is rescued by Christ, but it is so untrue! We have no power to find God. He chooses us specifically. He knows exactly what kind of fruit we are going to bear. He sets the fire in our heart to begin pursuing him, but He has been after us much longer than we can even imagine. Take the story of Zacchaeus as an example. The day that Zacchaeus met Christ, literally, he woke up with one thing A lot of money. His one goal for the day was to get as much money as he could for himself.  Nothing else mattered. Then he heard someone mention that Jesus was coming through town and all of a sudden he HAD TO SEE JESUS. He ran through the street to find a perch high enough to just catch a small glimpse of this man they called 'Friend of Sinners'. He RAN. He did whatever had to be done to satisfy this deep spiritual hunger that suddenly consumed him. He didn't need to meet Jesus. He didn't need to touch Him or be his best friend or strongest follower. He would have been satisied to merely see Him. Lucky for him, Christ had a different plan for him. As Jesus approached the tree that Zacchaeus was in He stopped, looked up, and said 'Zacchaeus come quickly! I MUST be a guest in your house tonight!' He didn't say 'I'd really enjoy coming to your house.' He didn't say 'It would be really nice if I could stop by for a few minutes.' NO! Jesus said 'I MUST be a guest in your house today.' He knew exactly who is small man was. He knew exactly what Zacchaeus had done and the reputation that he had, but He also knew that finally his pursuit of Zacchaeus' heart was beginning to 'bear fruit that will last'. Jesus had found his lost treasure and Zacchaeus knew just how important this was. He not only gave his wealth away, he gladly offered up four times the amount that he had cheated people in his time as a tax collector. Zacchaeus was thrilled to give up everything he had for something that, the day before, had meant nothing to him, but in the short time that he had know about Jesus, changed his life forever. We should strive to live a life similar to that. We should be thrilled to give up everything for our Heavenly Father. WE ARE CHOSEN! God knows exactly what He wants to do with each and every one of us. Sometimes we get so caught up in what we think is the right thing and just doing so many THINGS that we forget to simply spend time with The One who chose us, who wrote our life story for the glory of His name. We have to take the time to explore the story that God set before us. We need to live our lives as God's chosen few. We didn't earn it. God didn't need us, He wanted us. HE CHOSE US. Let's live that way <3