A Special People!

A Special People – My Daily Bread!

Our call to worship the Lord is taken from Deuteronomy 26: 16-19, NIV, which reads:

“Today you have proclaimed the Lord to be your God and that you will walk in His ways and keep His statutes, His commandments and His judgments, and that you will obey His voice.  Also today the Lord has proclaimed you to be His special people, just as He promised you, that you should keep all His commandments, and that He will set you high above all nations which He has made, in praise, in name and in honor, that you may be a holy people to the Lord your God, just as He has spoken”. 

These words of Moses were spoken before his death and right before the Israelites began their journey to possess the Promised Land.  It was a confirmation of the covenant that God had made with them and their ancestors, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.  Those who believe today are also special to the Lord; although we are not heirs to the Abrahamic covenant, we are heirs to the new covenant of grace through the blood of Christ with is attained through faith –  “Therefore the promise comes by faith, so that it may be by grace and may be guaranteed to all Abraham’s offspring – not only to those who are of the law but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham.  He is the father of us all”.  (Romans 4: 16, NIV)

One of the most beautiful passages in new testament scripture which speaks to our favored position before God is found in 1 Peter 2: 9-10, NIV, which reads:  “But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His wonderful light.  Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God, once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy”.

Jesus also spoke of the special position afforded His followers when He was on earth and said:  “You are my friends if you do what I command.  I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know His master’s business.  Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you”.  (John 15: 14-15, NIV)  Imagine how wonderful to be referred to as a friend of Jesus Christ!

Just as God in His infinite mercy chose Abraham and his seed, so too has He chosen you and made you His people that you might declare the glory of His name.  Jesus also said:  “You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit – fruit that will last”.  (John 15: 16, NIV)   And just as obedience was required by Abraham, so too is obedience required on our part.  Jesus further said:  “If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father’s commands and remain in His love”.  (John 15: 10, NIV)

Saints, rejoice in your preciousness in the eyes of the Lord!  However, this should not make us haughty in any regard, but should call us to the obedience displayed by Christ and encourage us to resolve in our hearts to obey the Lord at all times and be able to say with gladness:  “I will fulfill my vows to the Lord in the presence of all His people, in the court of the house of the Lord” (Psalm 116: 15, NIV) for we are yours O Lord, saved to your side for the working of your good pleasure!   We are special indeed!

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