“Thou art My servant; I have chosen thee.” — Isaiah 41:9

If we have received the grace of God in our hearts, its practical effect has been to make us God’s servants. We may be unfaithful servants, we certainly are unprofitable ones, but yet, blessed be His name, we are His servants, wearing His livery, feeding at His table, and obeying His commands. We were once the servants of sin, but He who made us free has now taken us into His family and taught us obedience to His will. We do not serve our Master perfectly, but we would if we could. As we hear God’s voice saying unto us, “Thou art My servant,” we can answer with David, “I am thy servant; Thou hast loosed my bonds.” But the Lord calls us not only His servants, but…

His chosen ones — ”I have chosen thee.” Wehave not chosen Him first, but He hath chosen us. If we be God’s

servants, we were not always so; to sovereign grace the change must beascribed. The eye of sovereignty singled us out, and the voice ofunchanging grace declared, “I have loved thee with an everlasting love.”Long ere time began or space was created God had written upon His heartthe names of His elect people, had predestinated them to be conformedunto the image of His Son, and ordained them heirs of all the fulness of Hislove, His grace, and His glory. What comfort is here! Has the Lord lovedus so long, and will He yet cast us away? He knew how stiffnecked weshould be, He understood that our hearts were evil, and yet He made thechoice. Ah! our Saviour is no fickle lover. He doth not feel enchanted forawhile with some gleams of beauty from His church’s eye, and thenafterwards cast her off because of her unfaithfulness. Nay, He married herin old eternity; and it is written of Jehovah, “He hateth putting away.”The eternal choice is a bond upon our gratitude and upon His faithfulnesswhich neither can disown.

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Producer: Todd Adkins
Voice Artist: Ian Cullen