Chosen.... by grace.

This morning I was reading Paul's second letter to the Corinthians. 
How it is prefaced by a little statement in 1 Corinthians.... 
......Paul 'worked harder than all of them'....  
yet not him,  
but the Grace of God that was with him... 1 Cor 15:10

It's a statement that follows the burden of Paul confessing 
that he was a persecutor of the church of God... 
and yet.... 
God chose him 
God had plans for him 
even when he was against God.... 
and now God was using him....
all grace....

The 2nd letter to the Corinthians is FULL of grace and mercy statements....
Full of the knowing - 'I can't but God can'
knowing God has every right to NOT want me....
but He does....
and He enables
and He empowers.
in the midst of even the sentence of death... 2Cor 1:9
a changed man, a changed perspective....

Lord,
I too have denied You
I too have worked against You

I am undone before You....

and yet,
I too am the recipient of
Your grace
and mercy.

Your strength
Your wisdom
Your plans for me

Thank You
for choosing me
for using me..

Yes,
Thank You.

PJ