Chosen by God

Before We Choose

Scripture Readings: Psalm 89:1–18; Luke 2:22–35

“I will sing of the Lord’s great love forever; 

with my mouth I will make Your faithfulness 

known through all generations.”

Psalm 89:1

As Christmas draws toward its close, Psalm 89 calls us back to the deep foundation of our faith: God’s steadfast love comes first. “Righteousness and justice are the foundation of Your throne; love and faithfulness go before You” (Psalm 89:14). Before we respond, before we understand, before we act, God has already bound Himself to His people in covenant mercy. Our lives do not rest on our resolve, but on promises spoken long before we knew how to answer. This is where the Christian life always begins—not with self-confidence, but with trust in God’s enduring faithfulness.

That same quiet truth is revealed in the temple when Mary and Joseph bring the child Jesus in simple obedience (Luke 2:22). There is no spectacle—only faithfulness. Yet Simeon, shaped by long years of waiting and prayer, recognizes what others cannot see. Taking the child in his arms, he declares, “My eyes have seen Your salvation, which You have prepared in the sight of all nations” (Luke 2:30–31). God’s Messiah is revealed not to the hurried or powerful, but to those who have learned to wait with hope. Recognition is born not of insight alone, but of patience formed over time.

Simeon’s blessing holds both joy and cost. This child will bring light and salvation, yet His path will be marked by suffering (Luke 2:34–35). From the beginning, God’s choosing is not sentimental—it is redemptive and costly. Today we are invited to begin again, resting not in what we can accomplish, but in what God has already promised and fulfilled. Like Simeon, we wait with trust, confident that the God who chooses also completes His work.

Prayer

Heavenly Father, help us remember that You chose us before we chose You. Teach us to wait with hope, to trust Your promises, and to rest our lives in Your steadfast love. Amen.