This morning I was reading Psalm 16 and verses 5-8 caught my attention:

God chose me. This fact encourages me. It makes me think of grade school when I would stand in a line on the playground and wait to be picked for a game of kickball, or any team sport, and the feelings of insecurity that would race through my mind if I was not picked early in the picking process. It was embarrassing to be chosen last or even close to last.

We long to be accepted. We love knowing that an individual or a group thinks that we are worthy of being chosen. Over the years I have learned that my identity does not rest in whether or not I am picked for something, whether or not somebody likes me or accepts me. But, on occasion, I still struggle with those grade school questions, why didn’t they want me? why didn’t they choose me? I think we hate to admit it sometimes because it sounds childish…but we like to be liked…as grade school-ish as that may sound.

God chose me. His decision to pick me didn’t rest on my skills as a kickball player. His decision to pick me didn’t rest on my abilities at all. I don’t have to worry that I might wake up one day and God wont want me on his team anymore because I had a bad game yesterday…or a bad season. His love and acceptance for me is unconditional. All I have to do is acknowledge that He chose me. He had his eye on me long before I ever knew Him. My place on the team is secure. God chose me.