Nothing to Something

But you are the ones chosen by God, chosen for the high calling of priestly work, chosen to be a holy people, God’s instruments to do his work and speak out for him, to tell others of the night-and-day difference he made for you—from nothing to something, from rejected to accepted. (I Peter 1:9-10)

Do we really understand that whatever we have is given to us by God? We might be rich or successful, but those riches and all that success comes from God enabling us to gain the riches and accomplish the tasks that have made us successful. It is quite easy to get a bit too prideful about what we have or what we have gained, but we must never cease to give God the glory, remembering to use what we have been given for Him. All we are, all we own, all we can do is a result of his goodness and grace in our lives.

We are chosen to be a holy people - God's hands and feet to a hurting world. Now more than ever, we need God's protection over our country, his guidance over our leadership, and his will to reign supreme. We might think we know what God is about to do, but we can never 'out-think' or 'out-guess' God's plans. As we consider all we have been given, we must also consider carefully how it is God wants us to put those things and talents to use for him.

From nothing to something, from rejected to accepted. Those words really tell the story of our lives. We might have been labeled as 'something' in this world, but without Christ in our lives the 'something' is really nothing. We can be at the highest position, given the highest of power on this earth, and still be nothing without God at the center of our lives. God's children are called (purposed) to be his instruments, to do his work and to speak out for him. We have been given much, but of those who have received much, much is required!

God's goodness and grace aren't meant to be hoarded or touted as something that gives us 'better standing'. In fact, it should humble us as we consider how much we have been given (entrusted with), and how it is we can put that to use to share the good news of grace in this world. We are called, chosen, and equipped. We didn't accomplish grace on our own - it was freely given! Just sayin!

Our collective knowledge

People are not disturbed by things, but by the view they take of them. 

(Epictetus)

I cannot help but find this quote a little 'practical' today. Isn't this what all these debates on each side of an argument do to us? They disturb something within us - not because the ideal is wrong, but the view we take of the ideal might be less than 'right' in somebody's view. It amazes me that a Greek philosopher from the first century actually might remind us of something so profound. We are 'disturbed' more by the 'side' we assume than by the 'thing' we are debating! Are you also aware that Epictetus said, "If you want to improve, be content to be thought foolish and stupid"? Maybe some of us just need to take our stand, but stop debating the 'views' of all the others who think us foolish and stupid!

But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise. God has chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty. (I Corinthians 1:27)

Epictetus also reminded us, "The key is to keep company only with people who uplift you, whose presence calls forth your best." There will always be contention as long as we live on this earth, but we don't have to choose to engage in what some debate. Why? We aren't going to uplift anybody by debating - we will just drive wedges deeper and make the gaps in our beliefs wider. The truth is to be told - there is no greater message regardless of the 'debate' of the hour. Surround yourself with the right company and you will always find you are being built up, not torn down!

Epictetus also told us it wasn't 'what' happened to us that made the difference, but 'how' we reacted to it. This isn't new information because God has been telling us there is 'right' and 'wrong' way to respond to life's events since the beginning of time. We either reject the lie and embrace the truth, or we accept the lie and forsake the truth. The choice is ours - how we 'react' will be an evidence of which of these we have embraced! God has chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise - the weak to confound the mighty. That is counter-intuitive, isn't it? God doesn't always 'do' things as we would expect - because he isn't limited by our view of the situation.

God expects us to use what we have been given in Christ Jesus to confound this world. Not with a mighty sledge-hammer pounding truth home, but with the 'pressure' of the Spirit of God's presence in our lives. The 'company' we keep is first with God himself - then with others who also seek to uplift Christ first and foremost. As we keep this 'company', we find our 'wisdom' far outreaches the heights of the wisest in this world. Why? We have the collective knowledge of God on our side! Just sayin!

Chosen

Chosen - selected from several, sometimes for the uniqueness of the object, but always because the one choosing wants to make that which is chosen their own.  This abundantly describes the "selection" God makes when "choosing" each of us as his own dear children. We are the object of his desire - selected specifically because there is something in each of us which he uniquely desires and has "use for" in his Kingdom.  The specific purpose God has in mind for you may differ from what he has in mind for me, but as long as we understand clearly that he has selected us BECAUSE he has a purpose for each of, then we are on the same path!

But you are a chosen people, set aside to be a royal order of priests, a holy nation, God’s own; so that you may proclaim the wondrous acts of the One who called you out of inky darkness into shimmering light. Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received it. (I Peter 2:9-10 VOICE)

Our purpose?  One specific purpose God has which is NOT unique to each of us is that of loving him with all our hearts, souls, and minds.  All of us are called to fulfill this purpose. None of us is unique in that calling.  We also have a common purpose of proclaiming the wondrous acts of the One who called us out of INKY darkness into SHIMMERING light. Get that word picture in your minds for a moment or two - INKY darkness.  

How dark is that? Have you ever tried to look through a bottle of ink?  I used to remember the refillable fountain pens of "olden days" and the small bottles of black ink we'd use in those pens.  That ink was black as black could be and it left stains beyond scrubbing out!  I don't think there is a better illustration of sin's "darkness" - for the INKY darkness of sin's hold is indeed a stain from which we cannot apply any amount of detergent or scrubbing action to successfully remove.

Yet, somehow by the tremendous power of Christ's blood applied to that INKY dark stain of sin in our lives, we are made WHITE as snow!  Shimmering light - that is what describes our position in Christ Jesus - no longer bound up in the INKY darkness of sin's hold.  We are to proclaim the transformation which has occurred - to be living testimonials of his mercy and grace!  This is our common calling - and it is this purpose which we are called to fulfill with each breath we breathe.

We each have other unique traits which God has a purpose for within his Kingdom - things like our ability to lead, organize, sing, play and instrument, welcome people, or even run a sound system.  These seem very practical and a little "not so spiritual", but remember even these talents are "spiritual" when yielded to his hand for his use and purpose within his Kingdom work!  

Look again at our passage - we are "set aside" to be a royal order of priests - a holy nation, God's own.  We may not feel very valuable on occasion, but I want us to remember this very important verse when we are feeling that way.  Chosen - selected for a specific purpose; set aside - called out so we could fulfill the purpose of being his OWN.  Even if we don't feel like we "belong" anywhere on this earth, we BELONG in his Kingdom.

Do you know what it means to NOT be chosen?  It means to be overlooked, but the problem with how many of us do the choosing is that we don't look deep enough.  God does more than take a cursory look our direction - he looks deep into the possibilities in each of us. Then he goes beyond the surface glance, searching the depths of our hearts until he sees just what he wants - then he lifts us into his arms and into his presence.

So, the next time you want to be down on yourself and think you don't fulfill any particular purpose in this life - think again!  You are chosen!  You are a holy people!  You are a child of the King!  You are taken from INKY darkness into SHIMMERING light!  You are his chosen one!  Just sayin!

And my take away is....

Chosen:  the action of selection, often as a means of indicating preference for a specific object chosen.  Most of the time, we go through life making all kinds of choices without much thought - simply because things have become so familiar to us, we just do it by habit.  We reach for the salt or pepper at the table simply because we have done this for years.  We drive a particular path to work without much thought to the winding path, sometimes not even aware of the things we pass by simply because they are so familiar to us because of the sheer frequency of the path we travel.  We gravitate to the same place at the table, in the living room furniture, etc. - it is "our" space.  We have indicated a "preference" for a certain route, spot, or type of activity - it is now our method of conducting our affairs.

But you are the ones chosen by God, chosen for the high calling of priestly work, chosen to be a holy people, God’s instruments to do his work and speak out for him, to tell others of the night-and-day difference he made for you—from nothing to something, from rejected to accepted.  (I Peter 2:9-10 MSG)

God views being "chosen" a little differently - not as the routine or "preferred" means of conducting business - but as a means of "electing" those who embrace grace, not so they can sit pretty, but so they can engage with him in the work he has for those he chooses.  We are chosen for a high calling - not just a routine, mundane, run-of-the-mill kind of existence.  Our high calling involves something referred to as a "priestly work" - something most of us would equate to some "office" of the church.  God has a different opinion of the "priestly work" he has called us to - it is not just an office - it is a lifestyle.  The idea conveyed here is one of living as the priests of old did - set apart, vigilant in pursuit of the right choices, and as an example for others.  The priest engaged in certain "duties" such as worship, prayer, teaching, study, etc.  So, our high calling is similar - we are called to pray for each other (even those we don't know), worship together, study to show ourselves approved, and to teach with all boldness.  We make this "priestly" thing kind of mystical - God makes it quite practical!  

Our "high calling" is really a calling to live "out loud".  We are to "live out loud" as it concerns the evidence of grace in our lives.  What is reflected in our lives is far from the mundane - it is the ever dynamic flow of grace.  Is there really any other way to reflect the holiness of God in our sinful lives?  We cannot possibly reflect the holiness of God without the continually flow of grace from within.  As grace does its work within us, we are becoming what we are chosen for - changed lives being used to change lives.  

We become God's instruments - not to just sing a pretty song - but to do his work.  I am listening to a song right now by Josh Wilson called, "See You".  It is basically saying he refuses to sit still while he watches someone else do what he is called to do himself.  Maybe this is a fitting song to reflect the teaching reflected above.  God is not calling us to sit around watching others do the work of their priestly calling - he has called us to do the work he has prepared for us to do ourselves!  You see, there is nothing more powerful than the testimony of one!  The evidence of grace in your life is your unique priestly ministry.  Only you can reflect the grace of God in the unique way you do - it is your calling.  

The work of the Old Testament priests was to conduct their lives as examples for those who were looking to them.  I don't know about you, but it kind of freaks me out a little to think others are actually looking to me to be the example they follow!  We may not even know how many people this may be - but the idea others are actually looking to us as examples should cause us to be a little more concerned with not doing things by "rote" and more concerned in keeping things "lively" as it concerns the flow of grace in our lives.  When grace is free-flowing, there is a living and vital testimony.  When grace gets a little stagnant, our testimony is just as stagnant.  If you ever think grace is just a one time thing - thing again.  It is a constant process.  As such, it ensures a free-flow of that which becomes the "talking points" of our lives.  Talking points are the things which people actually latch onto - the "take away" from the encounter.  Wouldn't it be wonderful if we all lived in such a way so as to leave others with the "take away" which always pointed others to God's grace?  Just sayin!

The Eagle, The Globe and The Anchor

³⁰ Even young people become worn out and get tired.  Even the best of them trip and fall.  ³¹ But those who trust in the Lord will receive new strength. 
   They will fly as high as eagles. They will run and not get tired. 
      They will walk and not grow weak.

(Isaiah 40:30-31 NIV)

I wonder how much we know about the United States Marine Corp's emblem.  I listened to a mother on the radio yesterday describing her son's pursuit for the coveted emblem of honor - showing he had completed his grueling basic training as a new U.S. Marine recruit.  She was so alone in her loneliness, not knowing the status of her son's latest achievements, his struggles, or the state of his health.  As she drove to work (an hour long commute in the Michigan area), she was overwhelmed by the "God moment" she experienced - so much so that she had to pull over to the shoulder and just revel in the beauty of his touch.  You see, as a Marine Recruit, her son's focus was to obtain the coveted Eagle, Globe and Anchor.  As a mom, praying for her son's welfare, God sent an Eagle across her path, soaring right in front of her car.  There she sat, wondering about his well-being, and God reinforced that he was with her son in his pursuit!  We serve an awesome God!

As I continued my commute to work, that young man's pursuit of the Eagle, Globe and Anchor began to speak to me about who God is in our lives.  You see, first and foremost, he is like the wings beneath us - quickly taking us from the pits of our despair, into the heights of his presence - much like the Eagle.  It is his Eagle-Sharp vision that targets the enemies of our soul and makes nothing more than prey of them.  It is his ability to view things from the vantage point high above life's situations that gives us perspective that we never would have otherwise.  So, as this young man is pursuing his Eagle - let us pursue ours!

The Globe portion of this emblem spoke to me about the fact that God is our "world".  He becomes the center of our existence - in fact, he is the very thing around which we find our world rotating!  In thinking this through, I began to see that God calls us to be "all in" with him - in turn, he commits to being "all in" with us.  He becomes our world!  He becomes that which gives us footing, sustains us, and meets our every need.  I think my message to that mother with a hurting heart for his war-bound son is simply this:  "He is all in with Jesus - Jesus is all in with him!"  He will sustain him, encourage him, and found him on a firm footing.  My message to each of you is the same!

Last, but not least, this young recruit is pursuing the Anchor.  Need I say more than that God is the thing that holds us steady when all around seems to be at unrest, pounding waves seek to carry us into the currents of depression, the hurricanes of disease threaten our peace, or the drifting of the lazy currents of apathy catch us unaware of our drift.  God is an anchor like no other.  His steadfast attention to every detail of our lives, every threat to our walk, is what we hold onto today.  

Lest we forget the most important words of this emblem - lodged securely in the beak of the Eagle:  Semper Fidelis - the meaning speaks volumes!  The words are "Always Faithful".  Now, what could describe our God better than those two words?  Nothing!  He is the one, always faithful, always there, always watchful over our lives!  

This young recruit may be pursuing the honor of the emblem of the Eagle, Globe and Anchor.  We are pursuing the honor of knowing the Eagle, the Creator of the World, and the Anchor of our Souls.  So, "recruit", what about you?  Are you pursuing the honor of the "corp" of the Chosen of the Most High?  If so, you are indeed honored to bear the emblem of the Eagle, the Globe, and the Anchor of your Soul!