Tuesday February 7th, 2023

In studying Genesis, we see how God made sovereign choices in who would carry His seed promise (the promise of a Messiah that would come) from generation to generation. We see God call Abraham, then choose Isaac over Ishmael, and then even choose between twins while still in the womb in Jacob over Esau. God made clear that it was He who made this choice, not the men who whom he entrusted with the seed promise. Often, God chose the unlikely son as the one who would receive the promise – the younger over the older. But along the way to Jesus, God also chose deceivers, adulterers, prostitutes, and other unlikely people to be part of Jesus’ heritage. Why? Because no one is outside God’s love, and by His power, God can redeem anyone. It is not by our past that we are defined but instead by God’s love and our new identity in Jesus. We see this clearly in Jesus, as not even the one who lived a perfect life came from a perfect lineage. Time and again in the Bible, we see Paul’s words about God ring true: “But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong.” It may seem foolish to many what God calls each of us to do in His name, but His strength is made perfect in our weakness and His glory shines brightest through those who the world believes has nothing to shine before others. Today, be encouraged that God loves, God chooses, and God strengthens the weak and foolish to do His greatest work.

“But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong.” – 1 Corinthians 1:27 NIV