We are family

God wasn’t attracted to you and didn’t choose you because you were big and important—the fact is, there was almost nothing to you. He did it out of sheer love... Know this: God, your God, is God indeed, a God you can depend upon. He keeps his covenant of loyal love with those who love him... (Deuteronomy 7:9)

It is a foolish thing to believe we come to Christ all on our own - as though we were on some quest to "find God" and came upon him all of a sudden. We are chosen - he seeks us out. Certainly this 'seeking' on his part has nothing to do with our goodness, nor does it have anything to do with how 'hard' we are seeking for him at that moment. Even the desire to seek is all his doing. Sometimes we get too 'big' of an impression of ourselves - as important as a positive self-image may be, it doesn't mean a thing in God's economy. We don't 'get chosen' because of our 'goodness' or 'seeking' - we are chosen because he loves us right there in the midst of all of our muddle and mess. If you don't believe there is any muddle or mess in your life, think again! As 'good' as you may be, there is ALWAYS some 'dirty laundry' laying around.

Though we may be of little value in the eyes of others, we are of extreme value to God. We are not 'valued' for what we do. Our value comes in who it was that created us in the first place. We are not 'self-created' - we are "God-Created". Within each of us is a place designed specifically for his Spirit to dwell - until he fully indwells us, we are never really 'full-filled'. God doesn't choose us for our greatness - he gives us HIS. Let that one sink in a little - his gift is out of sheer love - not our sacrifices, good works, or how much we give in the offering. His attraction to us is one of pure and holy love - to redeem us from our misguided selves. Know this - did you see that part of our verse today? What does it mean to 'know' something? It means there is more than a casual acquaintance with the facts. We come to a place of understanding it is God who seeks; God who redeems; God who gives first; and God who loves first. 

We don't "know" truth with our heads alone - it is a matter of the heart (mind, will and emotions) all coming into a place of thoroughly trusting in the one who seeks, redeems, gives, and loves. We don't "understand" apart from the guidance of his Spirit. When he seeks us, it isn't to just gather us into some big household. He wants us to become his sons and daughters - fully integrated into his family, wholly entrusted with our inheritance within his family, and completely entwined in the love this family brings into our lives. Knowing God does more than 'make us Christian' - it makes us family. Just sayin!