Hello to everyone at St. Paul,
I hope that this message finds you all doing well. I have enjoyed getting to know some of you either in person on Sunday morning or over the phone or by email this past week. If you haven’t already and would like to, feel free to send me a letter or an email just telling me alittle about yourself. Of course I am also always available by phone.
Blessings on the rest of your week, and enjoy this beautiful fall weather!
A Midweek Message
A reading from Paul’s first letter to the Thessalonians:
2 We always give thanks to God for all of you and mention you in our
prayers, constantly 3 remembering before our God and Father your
work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord
Jesus Christ. 4 For we know, brothers and sisters[a] beloved by God,
that God has chosen you, 5 because our message of the gospel came
to you not in word only, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and
with full conviction.
- 1 Thessalonians 1:2-5
This past Sunday our Gospel
message ended with the
words, ”For many are called,
but few are chosen,” and at
first glance this statement
might make you question
whether or not you are one of
those who are chosen by God. I know I even find myself asking
this question from time to time. Even Martin Luther questioned
this in his early life. Our lives often feel like they revolve around
merit and worth so it can be hard to comprehend that our God
chooses us by grace alone.
It was hard for the people of Israel to understand as well. In
Deuteronomy Moses explains, “It was not because you were
more numerous than any other people that the Lord set the
Lord’s heart on you and chose you – for you were the fewest of
all peoples. It was because the Lord loved you and kept the
oath that the Lord swore to your ancestors.”
So as much as the world around you might be telling you that
you are not good enough, God says you are. No matter how
small you might feel you can be confident that God has chosen
you without any strings attached. Well I guess there is only one,
and that is, that you believe it.
Believe that God chooses you because you are God’s own
beloved child and God is a parent that will always give you
grace. Which means there is nothing that can separate you
from the love of God in Christ Jesus.
So as you go about the rest of your week I encourage you to try
something new. Try telling yourself throughout your day: “I am
chosen by God.” Then reflect on how that might change how
you feel about yourself and your relationship not just with God
but also with others.
In the peace of Christ,
Rev. Aaron Baughman