But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. [1 Peter 2:9-10]
The journey with our golden doodle began two and a half months before Noah, and I got married. It was a Sunday afternoon, and we’d parted ways after a pre-marital counseling session—for him, to finish some grad-school homework and for me, to nap. The plan was to meet up again later in the evening before I drove back to college. A few hours later, I pulled into his driveway and sent him a text, letting him know I was there so he could open up the garage door. I adjusted my radio or fiddled on my phone and didn’t think twice when his Subaru pulled into the driveway and parked beside me. It didn’t occur to me that he hadn’t been home, and I didn’t have time to begin to wonder where he’d been, because he got out of the car with a big grin on his face. He was really happy.
I noticed a box in the front seat. Something for our new condo? I thought, getting out of my car. Suddenly a small, fluffy head popped up and those deep brown eyes met mine. My jaw dropped as I squealed, “YOU GOT US A PUPPY!” I never had dogs growing up but always dreamed of having one (which is a story for another time).
I was stoked. My fiancé pulled off a huge surprise and there we were, proud owners of a sweet, timid golden doodle. We cuddled her, bathed her, cuddled her some more, and dubbed her Nala. The poor thing looked weary, scared, and exhausted. As we reveled in our first night as puppy parents, Noah told me the story.
Over the past month or two we had met our friends’ golden doodle and fell in love with the breed. We sent each other pictures, researched dogs, and talked about someday having one of our own; we both thought someday would be some time after we were married, but hey, sometimes our ideas don’t always play out as planned. In this case, it worked in our favor. I wasn’t about to complain. Noah had discovered some doodles for sale, and decided to check it out—just to look, but with the idea in mind to possibly surprise me with a puppy. Thankfully, he didn’t come home empty-handed.
He’d found a lively, copper-colored miniature golden doodle, which he thought would be perfect for our condo, since they don’t get as big as regular doodles. He had it picked out and was ready to go check out, when he glanced back and saw Nala, calmly laying on the floor in the bathroom, head on her paws, only her big brown eyes moving upwards to look at him (in total Nala fashion). In that moment, he knew. He apologized to the woman at the desk, saying he needed a few more minutes to look around to be sure. He set down the copper mini, who playfully yipped back with the other pups. He made his way over to Nala, whose sweet and gentle personality instantly won him over. He knew this precious pup would be the perfect fit for our little family, no matter how big she’d grow. And just like that, she became ours. Hand-picked, selected personally, already loved.
Noah brought her home, and the rest is history. I love Nala’s story so much because it reminds me of the personal and intentional love the Father has for each of His kids. It would have been easy to look up a dog breeder online, call dibs on the first female born, and then wait to meet the pup, and take whatever we get. But there was so much more delight for Noah to be able to hand-pick the doodle that would be just the right fit for us—the personality, temperament, color, size, age.
Similarly, we are hand-picked, hand-created, chosen, and woven together individually by the Father Himself. He designed our dimples and moles and skin color and freckles and hair texture and size, shape, and build. While at times we may wonder what God was doing, He never gave us a second thought; what He had created, He knew without a doubt was good. Very good.
In the Old Testament, the nation of Israel had been hand-picked as God’s chosen people. They were seen as a holy nation, set apart by God, for God’s purposes. When Jesus came to earth, he broadened the scope of this holy nation, grafting all who call on the name of the Lord into this people set apart for Himself. The family grew, the table was extended, and all were welcome.
We have been invited to join the family. Our identity is rooted in the grace and redemption of Christ, Who has paid the lofty price to bring us into His family.
Paul reminds us in Ephesians that God chose us, before the foundation of the world (1:4); not only did He hand-pick us, but He has given each of us a role and a purpose in His Kingdom. Just like Nala and the copper mini doodle, we’re all wired differently. Some of us are extroverts, others are introverts; some think analytically, some are creative dreamers; some planners, some are doers. Whatever our strengths, gifts, and wirings, God was thinking of us before the beginning of the world, with a purpose in mind for each of us.
He looked on us in love, hand-picked us, and brought us home.
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth. [Ephesians 1:3-10]
True North Moments 