Chosen and Loved

Moses said to the people: “You are a people sacred to the Lord, your God; he has chosen you from all the nations on the face of the earth to be a people peculiarly his own.” Deuteronomy 7:6

Moses went on to explain, “It was not because you are the largest of all nations that the Lord set his heart on you and chose you, for you are really the smallest of all nations.” We are loved by the same big God with the same big love! He chose us not because we are smart, beautiful, important, or even good. We are sacred to Him, set apart, to be peculiarly His own. He yearns for us. 

He already knew when He set our heart on us, that we would break it. He had a plan for His special, wayward people. He would send His Son, His only beloved Son, to be mangled and torn, by the same people He loved. How is this possible, we ask? 

US Navy Seal Michael Monsoor was assigned to train Iraqi Army soldiers in Ramadi in April 2006. He and his platoon were engaged in combat with insurgent forces on September 29, when a grenade was thrown on the rooftop where they were positioned. Monsoor did not think twice. He quickly threw his body over the live grenade, and saved several other Navy seals and Iraqi soldiers from serious injury or death. Monsoor died 30 minutes later after absorbing the effects of the explosion. 

We can ask ourselves if someone would do the same for us. Would someone be willing to die for us? Somebody already did. His name is Jesus Christ. 

Martin Luther King’s famous quote comes to mind, “Returning violence for violence multiplies violence, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars. Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that.” As children of our Father in heaven, we have to learn this and live this. To repay hatred, bigotry, selfishness, anger, even murder, with acts and voices of love.