I just love it when I hear somebody say something and I think to myself, “Hmmm I think there’s a lesson in there somewhere!” Well, that happened to me one time when I was with my sister-in-law. She and I have never really been able to have much one-on-one time because she lives in South Carolina and I live in Texas. Several months ago, my husband and I decided to take a trip to South Carolina to visit family. While we were there, my sister-in-law asked me to spend the night with her and I jumped at the chance to do so. The entire night we were like two giggling little girls at a slumber party. We had the best time together—girl time is always so much fun!
Duke
Later that evening her husband took us driving around on the four-wheeler to show me their property. While bouncing around on the back of the four-wheeler, she said, “Girl, I am doing something I thought I would never do in my lifetime. Look right over there in that pasture. We have a cow! Well, actually it’s bull. When I see him eating, I go out and sit there with him so he doesn’t have to eat alone. Can you believe it?” She then explained to me how cows are tagged in their ear like a pierced ear. The tag has a number on it so you can identify each one. She then continued on with her story telling me how she was out there with her bull the other day while he was eating and saw the #126 on his ear tag. She felt compelled to tell him, “You know, you are not just a number. I see you and your name is Duke! You are not Number 126, you’re Duke and you’re mine!” Well, I got so tickled over that I almost fell off the four-wheeler. I told her, “I’m thinking there’s something profound in that statement, but I’m not sure what it is right now!”
Later that night, as I pondered the story about Duke, I was reminded of what God tells us in His Word about who we are to Him.
Chosen
1 Peter 2:9 – “But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.
God sees you!
He chose you!
You belong to Him!
You, like Duke, are more than a number!
You have a name!
You have been chosen and you have a purpose!
Isn’t it a wonderful feeling to know you have been chosen? Chosen means having been selected as the best or most appropriate. Remember the feeling of being chosen to a team in PE when you were a child, or being chosen for a dance at your high school dance, or being chosen to be someone’s bride? All those events make you feel special because you have been selected, picked out as the object of choice. You’re not just one of the crowd—a #126. God sits with you and wants to remind you that you are His.
Your Purpose
He knows you by name. You have been chosen for a purpose. Do you know your purpose? Are you doing all you know to do to live in that purpose?
Today, choose to walk in your purpose and maybe listen for little life lessons along the way!
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Tonya Parker is a motivational speaker and author of the book, Rise Up…Taking Your Life To A Higher Level. She is married with four grown children and loves making memories with her eleven grandchildren. Her 30 years of working in the beauty industry and the Miss USA organization, as well as her service on women’s ministry teams, has given her opportunities to encourage women to become all God created them to be. She is passionate about faith, family, friends, and fun!
You can connect with Tonya at www.tonyaparker.net.
This is awesome!!! We named every cow, chicken, hog, 13 cats, 7 dogs, and we loved them all!!! We are not just numbers or even just names, not to those that love us & certainly not to God!
Great story! I am so thankful that I am not just a “number”. We are beautifully and wonderfully made!
Such a great story Tonya. I love the way you express yourself. Praise God, he knows who we are and loves us unconditionally.
Thanks for sharing. I read many of your blog posts, cool, your blog is very good.