"Dear friends, God the Father chose you long ago and knew you would become His children." (1 Peter 1:2 LB) Discouragement will come; it always does. Maybe you feel discouraged because of a struggling relationship, stalled career, or failing health. When discouragement comes, you can rest assured in one thing: God chose you to be a part of his family. Long before you chose God, he picked you! The Bible says in 1 Peter 1:2, "Dear friends, God the Father chose you long ago and knew you would become His children" (LB). God didn't choose you because of something you've done. It's all because of who he is. You weren't good enough, smart enough, or spiritual enough for him to save you. He saved you because he loves you. And that’s good news — really good news! That’s the good news that your whole life should be built upon. Because you did nothing to earn your place in God's family, you can do nothing to lose it. 1 Peter 1:3 says, "For it is His boundless mercy that has given us the privilege of being born again so that now we are members of God's own family." Your place at God’s table is based upon his mercy, not your performance. You didn't deserve it in the first place; you don't deserve it now. The Creator of the Universe says: "I want you to be a part of my family." Talk About It
Rick Warren is the founding pastor of Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, Calif., one of America's largest and most influential churches. Rick is author of the New York Times bestseller "The Purpose Driven Life." His book, "The Purpose Driven Church," was named one of the 100 Christian books that changed the 20th century. He is also the founder of Pastors.com, a global Internet community for pastors. This devotional © 2012 by Rick Warren. All rights reserved. Used by permission. |
