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"Amazing grace! how sweet the sound,

  That saved a wretch; like me!

I once was lost, but now am found,

  Was blind, but now I see."

We all know that famous and wonderful hymn. The words are true! Everyone can say that without the grace of God, we'd be lost and blind. Thank God for His grace and love that He sent Jesus to rescue us from death! We have been saved by grace through faith in Jesus. 

God chose us. 

8 But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners. 9 And since we have been made right in God's sight by the blood of Christ, he will certainly save us from God's condemnation.

 Tyndale House Publishers, Holy Bible: New Living Translation, (Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, 2015), Ro 5:8–9.

 His motivation was love. God IS love. He loves us, and His plans for us are good. If everyone else is against us, we still aren't alone because God loves us! No person can escape the love of God; nothing a person has ever done surprises God. He loves us regardless of how good we are or aren't. He chose us. 

With that in mind, here's a question: Have we chosen God? 

If God loves the sinner enough to write Himself into the story of His creation by becoming flesh to endure our punishment for rebellion, then what separates us from Him? The punishment for sin has been satisfied through the crucifixion, burial, and resurrection of Jesus. He paid the price for our sins.

So, what separates us from God?

It's simple: we reject Him. 

36 Everyone who has faith in the Son has eternal life. But no one who rejects him will ever share in that life, and God will be angry with them forever.

 The Holy Bible: The Contemporary English Version, (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1995), Jn 3:36.

If we choose Jesus, we are saved. If we reject Him, we will be lost. 

In Psalm 31 we can see the writer's heart on display, and I think we can learn how to respond to God's grace. 

14 But I trust you, Lord, 

and I claim you as my God. 

15 My life is in your hands. 

Save me from enemies 

who hunt me down. 

 The Holy Bible: The Contemporary English Version, (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1995), Ps 31:14–15.

He says, "I claim you as my God.": This is important because we must do the same thing; choosing is important. 

Salvation happens when we place our lives in HIS hands and trust that Jesus is enough. We must learn to choose Him above everything else in life. Choosing Jesus means that we surrender to Him. Nothing can be more important than Him. 

When we choose God, then the purpose of our life is redirected to align with His will. The real test of whether we've chosen Him is revealed in our actions. That's why James tells us that faith without action is dead! He's not saying that good deeds are how we are saved, but rather that our salvation will always produce good deeds because we seek His will above everything else. 

Choose Jesus today! Surrender your life to Him. Place your life in His hands. Jesus gives us purpose in this life, and He gives us hope for eternal life.