Pick Me!

Tonight was a night filled with tears. My son came home...cut from the basketball team. This kid LOVES to play basketball. He was crushed. He was angry. And the tears flowed.

Of course, as a parent, I wanted to sympathize and tell him how rotten and stupid the coaches were. But the fact of the matter is, there is no basis for that statement. I haven't seen the tryouts. I don't know the criteria of the coaches. I don't know what they saw or didn't see in players. I don't know what my son's attitude was toward them. What I know is that he was hurt, and when he hurts, I hurt!

Last week, our Pastor shared a passage of scripture with us. God, as usual was working way ahead of us. He knew I needed this scripture fresh on my mind. It is from Ephesians, Chapter 1.

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and understanding, he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment—to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ.
--Ephesians 1:3-10 (NIV1984)

Read that passage again, beginning verse 4, and note the verbs used:

*He chose us
*He predistined us (adopted us)
*He has freely given to us the One
*He has lavished grace upon us
*He has made known to us Himself -- He reveals Himself to us and does not hide from us
*He brings unity to all things under Christ

This is a powerful section of scripture showing us our place in this world. My favorite verb in this passage is Chose. The GOD OF THE UNIVERSE CHOSE US! Let that sink in a moment.

There wasn't much I could say to comfort my son, or ease his ego about his basketball skills. But, I could let him know his place in this world--as an adopted (chosen) child of God. Junior High coaches may not have chosen him, but the GOD OF THE UNIVERSE did. God wants my son on his team. God wants my son as a part of His Kingdom work. He chose him. He chose me. He chose you!

When I read this passage with my son, and showed him those verbs--God not just watching from afar, but taking real action--his tears change from tears of sadness and sorrow to tears of thankfulness and deep-seeded joy.

All of us have disappointments in life. All of us are excluded at some point by some group. All of us experience doubts about ourselves and our abilities. When things like this happen, just read this passage, and be reminded of your place in this world -- child of God!

John 15:11 (NIV)
I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.