Day Twenty-One

Day Twenty-One

When I first read these verses this morning, I was so excited!  To hear that Jesus chose me long before I was even a DNA cell from ancestors that I’ll never meet this side of heaven. Jesus chose me.

Me.  What a humbling thought.  For so much of my life I have been the one chosen last.  I was the one who was not remembered when the party invitations were being sent out.  I was the one who spent her Friday and Saturday nights home alone while my friends were out dating.  I was Poor Pitiful Stef--except the devil had me believing I wasn’t even worthy of that title, for who even thought of me at all?

Well, Devil, guess what?  I’m on to you now.  I know your devices and tricks and schemes to make me feel less than.  I know your attempts to belittle me worked for a long while as I grew up through those horrid high school years and felt like the outsider.  I lived as the black sheep of my family for most of the years that it was still considered to be a nucleus.  I even let you beat me down during my teaching career as you worked your little games on me and my psyche to tell me how unsuccessful I was.

However, as I read these wonderful words of life--of life!!--I am again reminded that these light and momentary trials here on this earth are exactly that:  temporary.  They don’t last and those hurt feelings of my past days on it don’t even add up when put beside of those prepared for me.  For me!  Just as God chose me before the foundations of the world, His Son Jesus Christ is working now on my special place in heaven.  Personally, He is doing this.  He told me so when He said He’d go to prepare a place for me in His Father’s house.  

In conclusion, read these verses again, putting your name where applicable.  And remember:  if it were not so, He would have told you.

"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Who has blessed Stefanie in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as He chose Stefanie in Him before the foundation of the world, that Stefanie should be holy and blameless before Him.  In love He predestined Stefanie for adoption as a daughter through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of His will, to the praise of His glorious grace, with which He has blessed Stefanie in the Beloved.  In Him Stefanie has redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of Stefanie’s  trespasses, according to the riches of His grace…”

Pretty groovy, huh? Let’s pray!

My Father Who is in heaven, hallowed be Your name.  Your kingdom come; your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Thank You for my daily bread and the forgiveness of my trespasses.  Lead me not into temptation and keep that evil one far from me.  Deliver me, Lord, for Yours is the kingdom, and the power, and all glory goes to You.  Amen!