LAST PICK
Think back. Can you remember when your school classmates were choosing sides for a game?
Were you ever picked last? Were you ever consistently the last one who was selected? From experience I can tell you it’s a terrible thing to be considered the worst player in class.
If that scenario doesn’t seem familiar, let me ask you guys, did you ever ask a girl out for a date and have her look at you like you were some slimy thing that had just crawled out from under a rock? Ladies, let me ask you, did you ever sit by the phone and wait for someone special to call and ask you out to an important occasion? The silence of the phone was deafening, wasn’t it? Nobody likes to be written off.
Most of us don’t expect to be number one in everything we do; on the other hand, we also don’t expect to be number last either. We don’t like to be written off.
Having said that, I’m amazed at the number of times the Gospels speak about people who didn’t pick Jesus first, second, last or at all.
When Jesus was born, King Herod did his best to make sure Jesus would be forgotten. Years later the crowd in His hometown of Nazareth refused to let Him lay claim to the Messiahship. Jesus fulfilled all the prophecies about what the Savior would say and do, but His church, the Pharisees, the Sadducees, and numerous individuals refused to believe in Him and most did their best to have Him murdered.
Today, 2,000 years after Jesus was born in Bethlehem, things haven’t changed.
Like Herod, there are governments which try to eliminate the Savior; there are countries like the community of Nazareth which threaten anyone who would preach Christ crucified and risen; there are religions who promise to execute anyone who converts to the Savior; there are organizations which, like the Pharisees, constantly plot to have His Name removed from public consideration and consciousness. Even African Magic on DSTV mutes the word “GOD” or “JESUS” in the movies.
They all want Jesus to be number last in the minds and hearts of people.
But things haven’t changed…at all.
Jesus is still the Savior; His sacrifice still moves people from darkness to light; His resurrection still provides comfort to those who mourn, and His forgiveness allows hundreds of millions to be at peace.
No, things haven’t changed.
Gabriel’s words remain reliable and true: Jesus still saves people from their sins.
Posted on July 26, 2014, in Dear Jesus, Uncategorized and tagged Acceptance, Forgiveness, Jesus, Number One, Sacrifice, Savior. Bookmark the permalink. 50 Comments.
Ezar's Chronicles 
Yes, Jesus is the most important person in the universe and, yes, knowing him better so we might make him better known should be the most important thing in our life. But he’s not, is he? Other things distract us from keeping him at the top of our list, where we put him, and that false ideal becomes impossible to attain and impossible to manage. How much time is enough to devote to the One on whom we depend for our ability to live at all? You will never be able to give enough…
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Some things are just not as important as others. And yet many consistently set their work or their family obligation on a higher level than gathering with the saints to worship God. How many have stayed home on Sunday morning because the weather was bad, but the same weather or worse on Monday morning did not keep them from going to work? How many have forbidden their children to watch any TV or go outside to play until their homework from school is done, but think little of making them study their Bible lesson? How many let the children stay up too late on Saturday night so they are just too tired to get up and go to worship on the Lord’s day? How many have moved their family hundreds of miles to a new job only to discover after they have moved there, there is no assembly of faithful Christians in that town? Are these the right priorities? I believe Jesus was serious when he said, “But seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added to you” (Matt. 6:33). God does not expect more from you than you are able to do. He does expect you to be a good father or mother, husband or wife, a good employee or employer, a good citizen in your community, and still put him first in all things. And when that balance gets messed up, things that are good things, in and of themselves, become stumbling blocks for us and our hope of an eternal home in heaven. Take a look at your life and what your highest priorities are. Are you putting Jesus first? Or does any little thing that comes along distract you and hinder your service to him? At least be honest with yourself, and if your priorities are set wrong then have the courage to reset them in keeping with God’s word.
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Hello Sister Ezar. I was beginning to wonder where you ran off to. Welcome back. It is awesome how you manage to put a great message in a very short post, I must say.
Putting Him first- It’s the easiest thing to do and the hardest thing to do. What He really wants is my heart, not my decisions … for me to want Him so much that the other stuff becomes
secondary. And for me to actively want that every day. It’s not passive. It’s not coasting. But it’s also not drudgery. We love Him. And so we get out of bed, and we follow.It takes intentional thought and prayer … but the floodgates open up and the hunger for Him and His Word grows more and more. Give Him a blank check with your life, and ask Him what He’d like to do with it and you’ll find He’s eager to take you up on it … and show you more of Himself. Read His Word, the Bible. Talk to Him daily and ask Him how He wants you to spend your days and your relationships, how you personally can bring Him the most glory, how we can enjoy Him today and how we can tell others about Him and how much He means to us. It becomes a daily conversation, a journey with Him rather than a tally of major and minor decisions. The decisions start flowing out of relationship.
It takes discipline, and at the same time it’s incredibly freeing. It’s desire.
When you seek God for God, offering everything (not in mental assent like I did, but in actuality), you’ll find He’s there to answer the door. Doesn’t mean times will be easy … in fact, He says they’ll be hard. But He also said we have Him with us always, and that He is the reward at the end. And He’s worth everything.
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Loving God with all our heart, all our soul and all our strength is not an easy path (Luke 13:24 ). Yes, the life of a Christian is a life of joy, despite trials, and a life that anticipates great joy (2 Corinthians 7:4 ; Revelation 22:16-17 ). But we should not expect our life in this world to be easy, or successful and fulfilling in a worldly sense. The world is at enmity with Christ, and is therefore also at enmity with His followers ( John 15:18-19 ). The world will tell us to be someone, to achieve, to live the good life in this world. All that is a lie. It does not bring fulfillment but only pain and disappointment to those who give their lives to it (1 Timothy 6:9-10 ).
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It is important to know that God does give us good things, and He wants us to embrace them and enjoy them – in the proper context, in light of Him, as coming from Him, as blessings from Him, all second in importance to Him. Then, we might really experience the blessing of God in a way we’ve not done before.
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We MUST place Jesus first in our lives before anything else! Once you honestly do, you no longer want to go through life lifeless. The Lord gives you purpose and meaning to your life. If you feel that your zeal tank is running low or is on empty, then I would like to encourage you to fill your tank back up with Jesus. When we start refocusing upon Jesus and our commitment to Him, then our zeal will return.
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I truly get how Jesus must feel when we dont choose Him. I was deemed hopelessly unathletic by a jury of elementary schoolers when I was six years old — before I ever had a chance to learn how to kick or dribble or catch — because I was the tiniest girl in my class. I’ll never forget how it felt to be picked last by my peers during P.E., day after day, year after year, the heat rising off the asphalt and my cheeks as I waited in line until I was inevitably left standing alone, again , staring wistfully at my classroom and wishing I was inside reading a book. As a result of such perennial rejection, I never tried out for any sports teams or learned to do anything but grimly endure most forms of exercise, and, nearly two decades later, I still make up excuses when my friends invite me to join in even the most low-key and “fun” athletic activities.
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Giving Jesus the preeminence in your life, putting Jesus first in your life, making Jesus your example to follow and mimic, and placing Jesus before all things will make you a better person. Placing Jesus before your wife will make you a better husband. Placing Jesus before your husband will make you a better wife. Placing Jesus before your mother or father will make you a better son or daughter. Placing Jesus before your brother or sister will make you a better brother or sister. Placing Jesus before yourself will make you a better disciple.
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Ezar, I know from personal experience that far too often it is easy to put Jesus first followed by a whole list of other things, like going out and drinking and relationships. I want to challenge this and say that it’s not about putting Jesus first but putting him in the centre of everything you do. If Jesus is in the centre and we are looking to him to direct everything we do, then there surely cannot be room for anything else to govern us? These ‘other things’ start to become rooted in Jesus, our relationships with others flourish, going out doesn’t necessarily involve drinking ourselves to the floor.
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Jesus is d best-not the 2nd or last best.Therefore in all things He should come first…have d pre-eminence!
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As Christians,do we really understand the work of salvation?That my dear Jesus took my place nd died my death so dat I,a’rebel’,might be reconciled to a Holy God nd live.It’s awesome!Imagine having a kidney problem,expecting a donor for years nd suddenly a stranger appears to give u one so dat u live nd not die?Will u ever make dat donor d last pick in anything dat involves you?I am sure u wont.Our Lord Jesus was more than an organ donor…HE DIED nd gave me His Life.He gave me eternal life,a lifeline to escape Hell nd live in d Holy Presence of God.Dat’s why He is my No.1,my 1st Choice,my 1st Pick…the Centre of my life.I LOVE MY JESUS.I owe my’new life’to You…nd I vow to live for u alone!
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God not only deserves d 1st Pick,He DEMANDS it.Any pick after d 1st is IDOLATRY,nd which He hates passionately.Are u an IDOLATER? Let ur pick always count for Him!
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Ezar,u nailed it at d CROSS.Today,i went to an ordination service,nd d sermon made me sleep.This post is my sermon for today…. very powerful…an energizing tonic for this week nd beyond.I am now conscious of picking right nd at d right time for Jesus.For example,it was time for me to read my Bible nd suddenly a good Christian movie came up.B/c of this post i had read,it was easy to pick my Bible first nd turn off d tv.I was happy i picked right at d right time.Kudos!
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Dear Jesus,though my husband is a man of God,he doesnt encourage me to pick u first.No matter how much i try,he makes me go late to Church.He makes me cry wen i dont pick You first.Maybe i would have remained single for my complete devotion to you.Help me dear Jesus.
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Those dat hv learnt to pick right,hv learnt to give right..to honour the Lord with their firstfruits/tithe.
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Our God is a jealous God…must be number one or u face the anger of His jealousy.Don’t endanger d lives of those u idolize unconsciously including ur Overseer(GO).
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A worldly Church will not pick Him first…rather we pick d ephemereal/mundane things of this world dat have no eternal value.
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Lord Jesus,i must sleep now so dat i can give u d 1st part of a new day-MIDNIGHT!
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Some pick Jesus,not b/c they want Him first,but b/c they want to escape hell.
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What a selfish reason!No wonder the level of their Christianity is so shallow..no depth.For such Christians,the fear of Hell is d beginning of wisdom!
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It is terrible to know dat i am being picked not b/c of who i am,but for what i can offer.
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But God cannot be mocked.Did He not say dat if u think u’ve been forgiven much,u luv much,but he who has been forgiven little loves little(Luke7:36-47)?Likewise,1st pick is for those dat love much b/c their many sins are forgiven,nd last pick for those who love little b/c they’ve been forgiven little.As d Chief of sinners,i love Him so much nd must pick Him first.
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Ezar,i still remember ur post on’Picky Suzy’who was abandoned by her 1st picks,until she was left with her last picks who didnt find her attractive anymore.Poor Suzy!!!
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I had a politician friend who was d 1st pick of multitudes while in govt.She became d last pick on d very day she left office…no calls,no visits,no gifts…etc.The uncommon woman became common.
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Are u surprised?That is sychophancy 4 u! As long as u are politically relevant u remain their 1st pick….praise-singers na wa for u.
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Nobody wants to identify with a ‘losing horse’.A losing horse is d last pick any day…end of discussion!
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Good morning Jesus! The Word of God! My Refuge! My Jesus!….. Putting You first makes my life completely awesome & am deeply humbled I know You!
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So ezar, i checked up on the muting of God & Jesus and i found out that it was because ppl used it as swear words without belief and respect. There is no other name like the name of Jesus Christ, our messiah.
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Those who reject Jesus today nd pick Him last will discover at death that He is the First,The Beginning,The Alpha…nd by then it will be too late for another pick.Pick Him 1st today!
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We were told about the 1st meal dat was given In obedience to Elijah nd abundantly sustained a widow nd d son through out d famine dat ravaged d land of Israel(1st kings17:10-15).The culture of d world is to give out LEFT-OVERS nd not the best.
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Lord have mercy!And wen there is no left-over,nothing is given at all.The 1st is devoted to Self/Flesh,not even to God!
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Ezar,atimes i wonder about divine equations…1+1=1(two becomes one)……the 1st shall be d last nd d last shall be d first.Wowww..those dat God picked last will become His 1st faithfuls/royalists in these last days.This is d scenario where last pick is d best pick!Lord help me not carry last in my Christian race.
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@biodun…I also want to believe dat the boko haramist in Sambisa forest today,wen converted,will one day become a God’s general.We must not despise any child of God.
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Dat’s why we should not condemn nd pray the unsaved to untimely hell.We still have so many Sauls/terrorists(Saul was a terrorist) waiting to be prayed into d kingdom of God,to become d Apostle Pauls(Acts 9).Indeed d last pick can become d firstoooo!
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There is an evil under d sun dat the 1st love/wife suddenly becomes d 2nd best or last pick of an adulterous husband…the other woman becomes d 1st pick.May this not be d portion for our unmarried ladies in Jesus’name i pray!
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I recall d 1st pick dat became accursed,while d last pick became d best(Gen13:8-13).Lot,the younger,greedily picked first b4 d uncle nd paid dearly for picking the city of homosexuals.However Abram,his uncle who carry last happened to possess d land flowing with milk nd honey.Halleluyah!!!
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The best pick,whether 1st or last,is the Lord’s pick.In everything,give Him d opportunity to pick for you!
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Man picks the things dat appeal to d eyes,excites his flesh nd bloats his ego,even though it does not add value to his life.
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My first career choice ended up not being the best for me.I became a medical doctor b/c of d social status b4 men,nd not for compassionate reasons.I became a misfit until i left for politics.Our motive for d choices we make can be deadly!
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Why do African men have d wrong notion dat d 1st child must be a boy…nd wen it is not,they are downcast.I thank God dat men are not given d opportunity to pick d sex of a child….male children would have been their 1st picks,nd females their last.
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Oge,u are right.When i had a girl as d 1st,d joy my house cannot be compared to d joy wen i had a boy as my 2nd child.Umunwoke!
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Yesooo.The girl-child may be d last pick,but they end up being d best pick dat looks after parents more than d 1st picks…d rejected dat becomes d chiefcorner stone.
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A friend was engaged to a lady nd was happy with his 1st pick,until ‘Disposable’came along nd swept him off his feet.He broke d engagement nd married this 2nd pick from nowhere.After years of marriage,she picked another man nd dumped my friend.A 2nd pick might be an after-thought dat is usually satan inspired.
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Israel is God’s ‘1st pick’ nation of all nations.No wonder many nations are jealous of them.The Lord God of Israel will bless those dat bless them,nd curse those dat curse them(Gen 12:3).I bless Israel in this hour of his need.May d Lord protect u frm global anti-semitic activities in Jesus’name i pray.
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Amenoooo…….”and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you”.I am blessed with salvation through our Saviour Jesus who was born into Jewish home.I bless d Jews.
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Joseph was d father’s 1st pick,nd became d siblings object of persecution.The 1st Pick’s are usually objects of persecution.
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As humans nd parents,we should not have a 1st pick amongst our children b/c they are uniquely different nd loveable.
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Having d 1st Pick child is d beginning of sibling rivalry.Parents watch out!
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I was once d last pick of 4 children..d girl-child.I was given left-overs,d crumbs.The males enjoyed d bread,with d wrong notion dat i will be married out to a stranger.But i was determined to succeed,nd therefore worked extra hard.I finished school under extreme condition with d help of my dear mum,nd got a good job.Meanwhile d picks b/4 me barely made it.Now i am d breadwinner in my father’s house,who is now covered with shame.Being a Christian,i chose to forgive him,hoping he forgives himself for his wickedness.
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Yes, things haven’t changed. They can mute all they like on TV but it doesn’t change the fact that Jesus is still the way, the truth and the light. That He is love himself, that what He did on the cross is still the reason why even those who mute him can be accepted into His kingdom if they repent.
Yes, nothing has changed.Jesus is still Lord.
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