Ephesians 1:4-6
For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will– to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves.
NIV

Long before he laid down earth’s foundations, he had us in mind, had settled on us as the focus of his love, to be made whole and holy by his love. Long, long ago he decided to adopt us into his family through Jesus Christ. (What pleasure he took in planning this!)
The MSG

John 15:18-19
“If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you.
NIV

“If you find the godless world is hating you, remember it got its start hating me. If you lived on the world’s terms, the world would love you as one of its own. But since I picked you to live on God’s terms and no longer on the world’s terms, the world is going to hate you.
The MSG

John 6:44
“No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him, and I will raise him up at the last day.
NIV

You’re not in charge here. The Father who sent me is in charge. He draws people to me—that’s the only way you’ll ever come. Only then do I do my work, putting people together, setting them on their feet, ready for the End.
The MSG

Romans 8: 29-30
For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.
NIV

God knew what he was doing from the very beginning. He decided from the outset to shape the lives of those who love him along the same lines as the life of his Son. The Son stands first in the line of humanity he restored. We see the original and intended shape of our lives there in him. After God made that decision of what his children should be like, he followed it up by calling people by name. After he called them by name, he set them on a solid basis with himself. And then, after getting them established, he stayed with them to the end, gloriously completing what he had begun.
The MSG

1 Peter2:4
As you come to him, the living Stone–rejected by men but chosen by God and precious to him
NIV

Welcome to the living Stone, the source of life. The workmen took one look and threw it out; God set it in the place of honor.
MSG

1 Peter2:9
But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.
NIV

But you are the ones chosen by God, chosen for the high calling of priestly work, chosen to be a holy people, God’s instruments to do his work and speak out for him, to tell others of the night-and-day difference he made for you—
The MSG

Can you tell that I’m doing a little word study on ‘chosen‘ and ‘chose‘ lately? It’s really interesting. Of course in this post I have just plucked a few out but already it builds a story, doesn’t it?

God chose Moses to lead the Israelite’s out of Egypt. God chose Israel to be His chosen people. He chose the nation of Israel to be the people through whom Jesus Christ would be born. God chose David to be a King of Israel. God chose Mary to be the earthly mother of Jesus.

I don’t have the answers to everything. I could not get into a lengthy and deep debate for I do not have all my theological ducks in a row... but I do know this:

That before the creation of the universe God thought of me! For some reason known to himself, He chose me to be on his team. He didn’t choose me because I had made a decision (for I was dead in my sin when I realised that I was on God’s team). He didn’t choose me because I am holy or righteous. Rather, that through Christ I might become holy.

All that I am is grounded in the fact that God freely chose me. What then do I have to boast about except His goodness, His mercy, His grace?