I will sprinkle clean water upon you to cleanse you from all your impurities, and from all your idols I will cleanse you. I will give you a new heart and place a new spirit within you, taking from your bodies your stony hearts and giving you natural hearts. I will put my spirit within you and make you live by my statutes, careful to observe my decrees. -25-27
Friends, God is good all the time!
Jesus often used three significant phrases to end most of his instructions that challenged people to make eternal life decisions. I refer to the phrases, 'many are called, but few are chosen;' 'whoever has ears, let them hear,' and 'the first shall be last, and the last shall be first,' which leaves the listener with the liberty to respond to the message after careful pondering and decision-making. Do you consider eternal an essential desire to warrant your attention and action? Then listen with your ears and believe with your heart and soul and follow the truth that you have been chosen and destined for eternal; for it is a remarkable divine arrangement that you should value and protect.
Essentially, these phrases press us to acknowledge our choice by God to form his heritage. If we take a cue from Jesus, we notice that we never have to lose sight of this unique choice by the Father as Jesus never did. The saints never lost missed this understanding too.
It is God's will that everyone He has created be part of His heritage. His relationship with the Israelites, which was the starting point for the universal choice of all humanity is accordingly conveyed in the words of the prophet Ez 36:27, "I will put my spirit within you and make you live by my statutes, careful to observe my decrees. You shall live in the land I gave your ancestors. You shall be my people, and I will be your God."
If you want to maintain your choice to belong to God’s heritage, consider doing the following:
Listen: God declared to the world about Jesus that He is his son, so we should listen to Him. Listen and follow the teachings of Jesus.
Love: When Jesus was asked about the greatest of all the commandments, He said, love the Lord your God with all your heart, souls, mind, and strength; love your neighbor at yourself. Seek novel ways to express two-dimensional love Jesus enjoins on us.
Relationship: Develop a stronger relationship with God. Think about God as part of your life and solidify your relationship with Him as a proof that you belong to Him.
Prayer. Prayer is God's language. Jesus prayed constantly and urged Hid disciples to pray so that they can speak with God. Remember that God understands prayer that is offered in any language because prayer is the language of God. Resort to prayer in all circumstances.
Inclusive mindset: God loves all those He has chosen and called. Remember the kind comments of Jesus about Zacchaeus, "this man too is a child of Abraham." The inclusive mindset of a Christian is a gift of God, and an affirmation of our universal choice by God, justified and ratified by Jesus. When Christians see all people as brothers and sisters, it is a clear expression of the divine choice to belong to God.
Prayer blessings: Father, in all ages, you from a people close to your heart. May I belong always to your chosen ones. Amen.