Colossians 3:12
Therefore, as God's chosen people...

There are 193 countries in the world inhabited by 6.3 billion people. Just under half of those - 3.3 billion - live in 6 countries: China, India, the US, Indonesia, Brazil and Pakistan. Every 20 minutes, the human population grows by about 3,000 and this year alone there will be 125 million births in the world. By the time that group is ready to start school, there will have been another 625 million births. Is it just me, or does anyone else feel crowded?

It's easy to get lost in all of that. For some people, that's good news. They love the anonymity that comes with large crowds, the insulation from hiding behind the person in front of them. But for a lot of people, whatever security there is in a crowd quickly gives way to a yearning to be seen as more than just a number. We become restless and want to someone - anyone - to "discover" us. Have you watched American Idol? So many stand in who knows how long a line for who knows how long just for the chance to be picked out of the crowd and be put in the spotlight so that their unique talent can shine. There is a deep hunger in many of us to be able to stand out from the crowd and stretch our wings. We want to breathe the clean air in secluded places instead of the stuffy air with the stench of the people pressed in beside us. And for those of us that desire this, there is another truth that is horrifyingly more true than the first. As easy as it is to get lost in a crowd, it is equally - if not more - difficult to be found in a crowd. I mean, does "Where's Waldo?" ring a bell?

So, that's the angst of many in the world. And into that angst steps the truth of Scripture above...God has chosen you. Out of those 6.3 billion He saw you. His eyes focused in on you and He picked you up and gave you fresh air to breathe and room to run. And in a world where self-promoters are everywhere, God has the ability to pick up who He needs at the moment He needs them and place them where they can most glorify His kingdom. Is it hard to wait and trust that He's still looking? Yes. But at the end of the day, even if I'm just a number, it's good to know that God's got my number.

He's got yours, too.