Chosen!

He was a “couldn’t miss” college baseball prospect, but when he dived headfirst into second base during a college game, Cory Hahn broke his neck and was paralyzed. His playing days were over. But in an extraordinary gesture, Cory was drafted in the 34th round of the Major League Baseball draft by the Arizona Diamondbacks.* Cory was selected for a professional team even though he would never play. Cory Hanh’s story is a story of compassion and kindness.

And one that has an obvious parallel.

Even though humanity has been injured by sin, out of His incredible kindness and grace, God chooses to draft broken sinners onto His team.

God says through Isaiah, “You are My servant, I have chosen you and have not cast you away” (Isaiah 41:9). How much use were Adam and Eve to God after they fell into sin in the Garden of Eden? Sin had separated them from God, and to be on God’s side, they would have to be rehabilitated —an incredibly painful process that would cost the life of the Son of God. God did not redeem Adam and Eve simply to be magnanimous, to make a gesture, or to do our original grandparents a kind turn.

God was motivated by love to save Adam and Eve.

He redeemed Adam and Eve because God so loved the world that He couldn’t possibly do anything else. It would cost Him the life of His own Son.

Angels would be involved in a controversy unlike anything before or anything that will ever be. The most expensive rescue mission in the history of the cosmos saw God do something He didn’t have to do for the most helpless creatures in the universe, and He did it because of the love He has in His heart for you.

God has chosen you to be on His team for eternity.

Your abilities matter not. Your success or failure up to this point does not make you more or less likely to be selected. Out of love and by an act of amazing grace, God has chosen you to represent Him forever.