Considering the Unspoken Word 'Chosen'

Scripture: 'Now if you will carefully listen to me and keep my covenant, you will be my own possession out of all the peoples, although the whole earth is mine, and you will be my kingdom of priests and my holy nation.' These are the words that you are to say to the Israelites. Exodus 19:5-6

Observation: This is how the Lord states his covenant with Israel. Israel is to do as God instructs them. In return, the Lord will set them apart from the rest of the world - which he owns in total - as a holy nation, a kingdom of priests.

Here is what the Lord does NOT say here ... that Israel is "chosen" as some people to whom the Lord is exclusively their personal God. In fact, he says exactly the opposite ... that the whole entire earth belongs to him, and thus he is the God of everything and everywhere and everybody. The covenant is that all of Israel will receive special instructions about how to live and behave, and this will include witnessing to the rest of the world about Yahweh, as they will all be priests.

In a nutshell, this is what chosen really means for Israel. They are not chosen for an "exclusive" relationship, but rather for a "special" relationship, which involves instructions designed to both honor God and a mission to provide guidance about God to the rest of God's world.

Application: All of us who believe in the Lord and in Jesus use the word "chosen" often ... we use it to describe the honor of receiving salvation. Though the word isn't used here, that doesn't make it wrong. The Lord initiated this entire endeavor with Israel - thus he chose them, not they chose him - and the Lord later chose to offer salvation to the world, including me. However, there are two key elements in defining the concept of "chosen" that certainly still apply today.

-- Being chosen into a covenant is still a two-way deal, and requires that I observe the Lord's instructions as well.

-- Just because believers are chosen does NOT mean non-believers are rejected. They are still loved by God, with a zeal that someday they will decide to join the covenant.

It is far too easy to forget these elements, as Israel did forget them over time as well. Instead of forgetting them, I hope I have the knowledge and Spirit-filled wisdom to keep them central in my heart.

Prayer: Lord, I do thank you for choosing me. As the song I was listening to yesterday says, 'I was found before I was lost, I was yours before I was not'. For a reason I cannot possibly understand, you chose me. I choose you back. May my actions and words reflect at least my weak attempt to uphold my end of the covenant. Amen.