In a “Peanuts” cartoon, Charlie Brown says to Lucy: “My Dad said that someday I might be able to run for President.”
“Really, Charlie Brown?” Lucy answers. “He certainly must think highly of you!”
“I don’t know,” Charlie replies. “He also said that he didn’t think he’d vote for me.”
It is important for us to know that God our Father would vote for us. In fact, God has already cast his vote!
There’s a beautiful conversation that takes place in Jeremiah chapter 1 where God says to Jeremiah, “Before I formed you in your mother’s womb I chose you. Before you were born I set you apart. I appointed you to be a prophet to the nations.” (Jer. 1:5, NET). It’s nice to be chosen. It’s even nicer to be “pre-chosen.”
Do you remember how you used to choose up teams when you were a kid? Two captains were appointed and the captains chose the players they wanted one by one. It was a great honor to be one of the first ones picked. And the worst thing that could happen was to be the last one standing there, finally picked by a captain mumbling under his breath, “Well, I guess I’ve got to take Alan.”
I remember sometimes when we were playing football in the backyard that we used to choose players who weren’t even there. “If Joe comes, he’s on my side.” You would want Joe so much that you selected him, knowing that you might have to play with fewer players on your team until he got there.
God chose Jeremiah before he was born, and God has already chosen you. My favorite description of God’s election comes from Croft Pentz. He once said, “God votes for us, Satan votes against us and we hold the deciding vote.”
Whether or not you choose to play on God’s team (though I earnestly pray that you will choose to do so), know that your heavenly Father stands ready to vote for you!
Alan Smith
