Chosen to love
by Maria Rudolph
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You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit – fruit that will last (John 15:16).
Read John 15:9–17
I didn’t know Jesus growing up. My family were not Christian. I became a Christian as an adult. There’s a lot I can tell you about having a conversion experience, weeping tears of joy as I was overcome by the Holy Spirit the first time I ever went to worship at Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Adelaide. I can tell you how transformational it was for me to read the Bible for the first time ever, and that I have kept a diary of that time in which page after page I tell God that I will follow him and live for him. Throughout all of that time, a small LLL tract was stuck to the wall right near my pillow, and I read what it said every night before I closed my eyes. A Lutheran friend had given it to me: ‘You did not choose me, but I chose you’ (John 15:16). Etched into my memory forever. I didn’t really understand those words at the time, but they seemed important. Now I get it. We do not choose to follow God, God comes to us.
Three lost and found – or chosen – stories in Luke helped me to understand. The parable of the lost sheep (Luke 15:1–7): The sheep was too stuck and too lost to simply turn around and choose to follow the Good Shepherd again. But he went out looking for the sheep until he found it – and then threw a joyful party! That’s our God. The parable of the lost coin (Luke 15:8–10): The woman searched high and low until she found her treasured coin – and then threw a party! That’s our God. The parable of the lost son (Luke 15:11–32): The prodigal son was too disgraced to return as a beloved son, so he asked to be taken on as a servant. But the overjoyed father ran to meet and embrace him – and then threw a party! That is our God. God turns to us in love and joy. There will be rejoicing in heaven over you. You are chosen. Jesus says: ‘Now remain in my love. If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love. My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you’ (John 15:9,10,12). You are chosen to love.
Who can you show Christ-like love to today?
Jesus, thank you for loving me as the Father has loved you. Help me to remain in your love by loving others. Thank you for choosing me to love and for not giving up on me. Amen.
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