“For you are a holy people to the LORD your God; the LORD your God has CHOSEN you to be a people for Himself, a special treasure above all the peoples on the face of the earth.” Deuteronomy 7:6

Chosen By God

November has arrived, fall is here, the nights are getting cooler, the down comforter is going on the bed. The leaves on the trees have changed from vibrant green to shades of brown, yellow and orange and are falling from the trees. I have hundreds of acorns on the ground, the woodpeckers are trying to pack them away for winter into every tree trunk, power pole and even trying to find somewhere on my house to put them. We also are preparing for winter, cleaning the yard, putting pool toys away and covering outside furniture. Even the vegetables in season are changing from the sweet corn, melons and berries of summer to beets, brussels sprouts and hard squashes of winter. Everywhere I go I see pumpkins and then I remembered this quote from an unknown author that I found many years ago. Maybe some of you have also seen it…

“God picks you from the patch, brings you in, and washes all the dirt off of you. Then he cuts off the top and scoops out all the yucky stuff. He removes the seeds of doubt, hate, and greed. Then He carves you a new, smiling face and puts His light inside of you to shine for all the world to see.”

It humbles me that God chose me, picked me before I was even born. “Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you; Before you were born, I sanctified you” (Jeremiah 1:5). He set me apart for Himself.

In my case, it took awhile for God to come and pluck me out of the life I was living and draw me to Himself, but once I asked Him into my heart and confessed my need of a savior, He brought me out of that dirty field and indeed started cleaning me up. Slowly the yuck in me and in my life was replaced with faith, trust, love, comfort, peace, security—all the things God promises—and on top of all that he calls me a “special treasure.”

I try to keep that smiling face in place even when life is not easy. I want the light of Jesus to shine out of me and illuminate the darkness for other people. I have found it is especially important for my light to shine at home with my family. It is easy to take the ones we love and are closest to for granted. Don’t do that—those closest to us need to see and hear that we are dependent on Jesus and we are not just that clean shining pumpkin for others, but it is who we are always.

Heavenly Father, thank You for picking me to be one of Your beloved. I am so grateful You have cleaned me up and removed the yucky from me. Please continue to work in me daily. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.