August 27

Choice Men

See, I have refined you, but not as silver; I have tested you in the furnace of affliction. — Isa 48:10 BSB

This has been the motto hanging on our bedroom wall for a long time, and in many ways, it’s also written on our hearts. Being chosen by God is no small thing. God’s choice makes those He chooses into special people. It’s better to be one of God’s elect than to be elected by an entire nation. This privilege is so great that, even though it may come with hardships, we accept it joyfully, just like the Jews ate bitter herbs along with the Passover lamb. We accept the furnace of suffering because God has chosen us through it.

We are chosen as people who are afflicted, not as people living in luxury. We are chosen not in palaces but in the furnace of trials. In the furnace, beauty is marred, strength is melted, and glory is consumed. Yet it’s in these hard times that God reveals His eternal love and confirms that we are His chosen people. In our darkest moments, God has made it clear that we are called and chosen, and we’ve made our decision to follow Him. He has shown us that we truly belong to Him. So, even if today the furnace is heated seven times hotter, we won’t be afraid, because the glorious Son of God will walk with us in the midst of the flames.