Daily text, Sunday, June 24. 2018

[Queen Esther]

Jehovah . . . has chosen you to become his people, his special property.—Deut. 7:6.

This was not an arbitrary choice. Jehovah was being true to a promise that he had made centuries earlier to his friend Abraham. (Gen. 22:15-18) Furthermore, Jehovah always exercises his freedom in harmony with his attributes of love and justice. This is evident in the way he disciplined the Israelites, who repeatedly abandoned true worship. When they expressed heartfelt repentance, Jehovah willingly extended love and mercy, saying: “I will heal their unfaithfulness. I will love them of my own free will.” (Hos. 14:4) What a fine example of using his freedom for the benefit of others! When Jehovah began his creative works, he lovingly chose to bestow free will on his intelligent creatures. The first one to receive this gift was his firstborn Son, “the image of the invisible God.” (Col. 1:15) Even before coming to earth, Jesus chose to remain loyal to his Father and not join Satan in his rebellion. w17.01 2:3, 4

https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/dt/r1/lp-e/2018/6/24