John 15:16 - "Ye have not chosen Me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit."
We
did not choose Christ, because we have the evil of the human heart, the
opaque film of blindness which sin cast on the sight, the deafness with
which dulls our hearings. To miss Christ or pass Him by is as though
the pearl-hunter were unable to recognize the pearl of greatest price;
or the mother to recognize her own babe.
"But I chose you." He chose us probably because we were useless and helpless, and He wanted to show what supreme miracles His grace could achieve. The prophet Ezekiel 16:1-5 says that the branches of the vine are more useless than any others. The principle of God's choice is to take what all others or the world rejects, the bruised reed; the younger sons, the halt and lame, the last and least; the things that are foolish, despised, and weak and these are God's choice, that He may bring to perfections things that are broken, so that no flesh may glory in His presence but Him alone.
In choosing us, there was no error in the foreknowledge of God which preceded our election. God knew all that we were, all that we should be. He foresaw our down-sittings, our hours of depression, our obstinacy, our wanderings into the far country, but He swerved not. Having chosen us, He is going to justify His choice, unless we definitely refuse to let Him have his way.
"'And appointed Us.'" Our Master has placed us just where we are, that He might have a suitable outlet for His abundant life, which He longs to pour forth upon the world. Do not be despair or murmur at your time in life, but remember that He has appointed and placed you there. As the branch is nailed to the wall that it may cover it with foliage and fruit, so Christ has placed you where you are. That inevitable circumstance is the rough piece of cloth, that sorrow is the nail, that pain the restraint such as He suffered on the Cross.
"That ye should go." "Whither, Master? .... Into all the world, as My disciples! I have chosen you out of it and now I send you back as My representatives, through whom I may pour out My life and love. Go and bear fruit! "
O Heavenly Master, enable us by Thy grace to fill the opportunity, and do the work that you have assigned. May we not complain because our place is obscure and the time long, but help us to wait and bear much fruit for Thy glory.
AMEN.
Taniela Fonua (Lapaifonua)
We
did not choose Christ, because we have the evil of the human heart, the
opaque film of blindness which sin cast on the sight, the deafness with
which dulls our hearings. To miss Christ or pass Him by is as though
the pearl-hunter were unable to recognize the pearl of greatest price;
or the mother to recognize her own babe."But I chose you." He chose us probably because we were useless and helpless, and He wanted to show what supreme miracles His grace could achieve. The prophet Ezekiel 16:1-5 says that the branches of the vine are more useless than any others. The principle of God's choice is to take what all others or the world rejects, the bruised reed; the younger sons, the halt and lame, the last and least; the things that are foolish, despised, and weak and these are God's choice, that He may bring to perfections things that are broken, so that no flesh may glory in His presence but Him alone.
In choosing us, there was no error in the foreknowledge of God which preceded our election. God knew all that we were, all that we should be. He foresaw our down-sittings, our hours of depression, our obstinacy, our wanderings into the far country, but He swerved not. Having chosen us, He is going to justify His choice, unless we definitely refuse to let Him have his way.
"'And appointed Us.'" Our Master has placed us just where we are, that He might have a suitable outlet for His abundant life, which He longs to pour forth upon the world. Do not be despair or murmur at your time in life, but remember that He has appointed and placed you there. As the branch is nailed to the wall that it may cover it with foliage and fruit, so Christ has placed you where you are. That inevitable circumstance is the rough piece of cloth, that sorrow is the nail, that pain the restraint such as He suffered on the Cross.
"That ye should go." "Whither, Master? .... Into all the world, as My disciples! I have chosen you out of it and now I send you back as My representatives, through whom I may pour out My life and love. Go and bear fruit! "
O Heavenly Master, enable us by Thy grace to fill the opportunity, and do the work that you have assigned. May we not complain because our place is obscure and the time long, but help us to wait and bear much fruit for Thy glory.
AMEN.
Taniela Fonua (Lapaifonua)
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