The Chosen

when you only focus upon 

your choice to follow Me

it can turn your attention back

upon yourself...'see what I

have done'...'look at me'...

evaluating your own efforts...

your accomplishments...

successes / failures...what gifts 

you have / how you want to use 

them...what goals you want to 

achieve in 'building the Kingdom'...

maybe comparing yourself to 

others for better or worse and 

without even realizing it fall into

the trap of  being a 'check-list 

Christian' striving to attain your

next 'merit badge' in the Kingdom

thus continuously gaging your own 

progress in gaining the praise of 

other 'disciples'...to put it simply...

becoming 'proud of your humility'...

it is a deceptive focus on self...a false 

independence which leads one further 

away from rather than closer to Me...

more of you and less of Me...so... 

instead... focus on the fact that I 

Chose you to follow Me even though 

I knew your every thought . word / deed

every imperfection / sin...

every failure as well as 

every temptation your mused

upon and still... I Chose you...

before you even thought about it...

before you loved Me in return...

humbling isn't it?...Knowing 

you as I did and still I Chose you

why?...because I Love you

as you are...but I Love you 

so much that I do not Choose

to leave you as you are...rather

I Choose to transform you into a 

Perfect Image of Myself in order

that you may share My Divine Life

Perfectly for all Eternity...

that is My Plan for you and your

role is to Cooperate with My Grace

working in you...to Follow My 

Holy Spirit wherever He Leads you..

to use the Gifts as He Directs...

to Live out My Life within you

by His Power...not by yours...it is

a Journey of Transformation that

begins and ends with My Love...

Calling out to you to Become One

with Me...so...when you experience 

your weaknesses...failures...sins...

when following Me becomes

really difficult...when I ask 

things of you that stretch your

boundaries...that require you to

repent / change / sacrifice in order 

to be a witness of My Love / Word

in a fallen world which may then 

cause you to be 'cancelled' / persecuted / 

punished...to lose your possessions / 

family even life itself...Know that I 

Love you...that I Am always with you-

even when you do not experience Me

I Am Faithful...You are Mine and 

I Belong to you... so...Remember...

Ponder this Reality...

YOU... ARE..CHOSEN....

MY BELOVED....FOREVER

Reflection / Discussion:

-How does it feel to be Chosen / Selected by Jesus Personally?

-In your own words, thank Him, tell Him what it means to you, 

  what kind of disciple you want to be and ask for His help especially to....

-What are some of the ways pride can influence our faith-walk?

-What are some of the 'merit badges' we can go after?

-How can we avoid centering our faith-walk around ourselves?

-How can having a spiritual director or sharing group help us?

-Remember how He Chose you...your story, so you can tell others.