John 6: 41-44, Acts 9:20-21, 1 Corinthians 1:27

Philip Morris looks at how in God's eyes we already have the X Factor

Philip Morris

We must all remember when we were children, on the school yard, waiting to be picked for teams. Whether it was playing football or a team game, you are just hoping that you won't get picked last, as they picked the best players first and the worst last.

When you think of the phrase, 'being chosen', what is the first thing that comes into your head? Well sorry, but I am quite shallow and for me it has to be X Factor!! We have Gary Barlow, Tulisa, Louis Walsh and Nicole sitting on the judges panel.

If you watch the show you'll have seen how they find our next star. First it is the auditions; then boot camp; then getting selected for the judge's house. Finally it's winning the approval of the viewers and then getting selected for the live final.

Fortunately it's a little bit different with God, as you don't have to do any auditions to be accepted by him; you haven't got to look a certain way or act a certain way to be loved by him. He is not even asking you be a great singer, (thank goodness!). Instead he says we already have the X Factor and invites us to know him. Not just to know about him, but to know him personally.

'At this the Jews began to grumble about him because he said, "I am the bread that came down from heaven." They said, "Is this not Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How can he now say, "I came from heaven". "Stop grumbling amongst yourselves", Jesus answered. "No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him and I will raise him up at the last day". John 6: 41-44

God chose us before we chose him. We were chosen before the foundation of the world and adopted as his children. God invites us; the initiative is his and not ours. It is he who knew us and formed us while we were still in our mother's womb. It is he who has written our names in the palm of His hands.

He chooses ordinary people to do mighty things, for example the Apostle Paul:

'At once he began to preach in the synagogues that Jesus is the Son of God. All those who heard him were astonished and asked, "Isn't he the man who raised havoc in Jerusalem among those who call on this name? And hasn't he come here to take them as prisoners to the chief priests?"' Acts 9:20-21

This is someone who attacked Christians and yet God still wanted to be in relationship with him. It didn't stop there either, as he became an amazing preacher and great man of God. He became a man who was so influential, that many people came to have a faith because of the way God used him to share the message that Jesus Christ is love. God brought the apostle Paul to the point where he turned his back on all the wrong things he had done.

The last person in the world, we would think of to go and preach and tell everyone about Jesus would be the person who has been rounding them up for prison, slandering them and killing them. However God sees things differently to us; he sees the potential; he sees the bigger picture that is so much bigger than ours. God shows his power and purpose in the life of the Apostle Paul.

Does God always choose the 'good' people that have got it all together, for his plans and purposes? The really talented people and smart people? Actually, no!

'But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong.' 1 Corinthians 1:27

God chooses you despite your weaknesses and despite the things that you are not very good at; despite past failures and despite how you may view yourself. So respond to God, because in his eyes you have the X Factor.