“You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you.” – John 15:16, NIV
Melissa’s mother had gotten pregnant out of wedlock. In her era, when a woman was pregnant, she married the baby’s father.
Sadly, Melissa grew up knowing she was unwanted. Although her father never said it, she felt his rejection again and again. He didn’t show up to her dance recitals, her soccer games, or even her high school graduation.
When Melissa was in college, she volunteered to help a local organization that took meals to elderly residents and shut-ins. They would also sometimes do basic tasks and errands that the disabled couldn’t do.
The owner of the organization was Gracie, a kind woman in her fifties. She loved Jesus and frequently talked about her faith.
Melissa had grown up in church, and she was saved. But she didn’t understand much of the Bible or how it applied to her day-to-day life.
When she shared about her father’s rejection, Gracie gave her a warm smile, “Your earthly father may have rejected you, but you were chosen by God. He loves you deeply and wants to be the Father you never had.”
Prayer:
God, when I face rejection, remind me again that I’m Yours. You call me Your child even when I mess up again and again. Help me to remember my identity is secure in You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
