God's Covenant Love Day 1

"For you are a people holy to the Lord your God. The Lord your God has chosen you out of all the peoples on the face of the earth to be His people, His treasured possessions."
Deuteronomy 7:6

"But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His wonderful light. Once you were not a people, but now you are a people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy."
1 Peter 2:9-10

An understanding of God's grace is the single most significant thing that defines me as a person! I am "a people of God"! I have an identity that is rooted in the grace of God. The Deuteronomy passage is speaking of Israel and God's covenant love for them. He chose Israel to be His people above all the nations of people. He wanted to demonstrate His love, power, and presence among these people and called them His own. God covenanted with Abraham to make his family into a great nation, and he confirmed that covenant through Jacob, who is also called Israel. God kept His promise and by His grace pursued His people and made them into a great nation. These people certainly didn't deserve the grace of God, but God pursued them and kept His covenant of love with them anyhow.

The same could be said of us today. Under the new covenant, God has made a people for Himself. Who are these people... They are the recipients of His mercy! Its not a nation thing or people group that He covenanted with, but with those He has chosen to be the recipients of His mercy. God chose me before the foundation of the earth to be holy and blameless in His sight! In love, He predestined me to be adopted as His son according to His pleasure and will. (Eph. 1:4-5) My identity is wrapped up in the grace of God! I am one of His peeps! I have been adopted into His family... He has become my Father! These intimate terms describe the covenant love relationship that God has with those He has chosen! I have been chosen by God! He chose to have mercy on me and invite me to become a part of His family, which is an act of His grace. Praise God!

God, I am yours! This is not me offering myself to You, but its rather a simple but profound truth... I AM YOURS! Thank You for pursuing me and calling me to yourself!

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