16 APR 23 Sunday: A Closer Walk Devotional
“But you are my witnesses, O Israel says the Lord. You are my servant. You have been chosen to know me, believe in me, and understand that I alone am God. There is no other God-there never has been, and there never will be.” Isa. 43:10
If I didn’t reference the book that this quote came from, you might have thought that it came from the book of Acts, chapter one. God’s ways have not changed and do not change. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Our struggles with our study of salvation in the New Testament can be satisfied by our study of the Old Testament (Hebrew Bible).
You might ask yourself, why Israel? What is so great about them? Why did they receive such favor? The Jews were not special, bright, mighty, or large in number nor did they do anything to get noticed. If you are Christian, stick your name into those last three questions. Jesus says the same thing to his disciples in John 14:16. We are not his because we are smart, fit, attractive, race, ethnicity, or any other reason.
You were selected, elected, or chosen by grace, unmerited favor, and for no other reason than by His good pleasure and glory. Anyone that belongs to Him, is His for a purpose. We are to glorify Him in all of life, be His witnesses, and serve Him. The 1 Peter passage below, says that we are a chosen people, royal priests, and a holy nation for God’s possession. This is fantastic and humbling news.
Why am I a Christian?
Reading Plan: Psalm 146, 147; Isa. 43:8-13; 1 Pet 2:2-10; John 14:1-7
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