“You are My servant, I have chosen you” (Isaiah 41:9)

If you’ve received the grace of God in your heart, its practical effect is to make you, His slave. You might be an unfaithful slave, or an unprofitable one, but praise God, you’re His slave, wearing His clothing, feeding at His table, and obeying His commands. “For just as you presented your members as slaves of uncleanness, and of lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves of righteousness for holiness. For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. What fruit did you have then in the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death. But now having been set free from sin, and having become slaves of God, you have your fruit to holiness, and the end, everlasting life” (Romans 6:19-22). 

 We don’t serve our Master perfectly, but we would if we could. As we hear God's voice saying unto us, "You are My slave", we can answer with David, "O Lord, truly I am Your slave, You have loosed my bonds” (Psalms 116:16). But the Lord calls us not only His slaves, but His chosen ones – “I have chosen you … Be not dismayed, for I am your God” (Isaiah 41:9-10). We didn’t choose Him first, He chose us. He tells us, “I have loved you with an everlasting love” (Jeremiah 31:3). 

 Long before He created time and space, God knew His elect, “for whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son” (Romans 8:29). He ordained we would be heirs of the fulness of His love, His grace, and His glory. What a reality! God has loved us so long, and He’ll never cast us away! He knew how stiff-necked we were going to be, and still He chose us. And our Savior isn’t a fickle lover. He doesn’t feel affection for His church for a season, and then cast her off because of her unfaithfulness. No, He married her for eternity. His choice is a bond for our gratitude and His faithfulness.