MEAGHAN MAY | CONTRIBUTOR

The first time I played pickleball was on our neighborhood court.

I didn’t know the rules. I wasn’t dressed for it, didn’t have the right shoes, and honestly just hoped no one would notice how uncoordinated I felt. I stood off to the side, awkwardly holding my paddle, sure that I would be picked last—if at all.

Then someone surprised me.

One of the most skilled players on the court looked straight at me and said, “You’re with me.” She didn’t hesitate. She picked me on purpose.

And suddenly, I wasn’t standing alone anymore. I had a place. I wasn’t better at the game, but I was no longer afraid. Because someone strong and experienced had chosen me. She saw me, called me, and gave me courage to step onto the court.

That moment reminds me of something far more profound:

God is for us.

He didn’t wait for us to get it right. He didn’t look for the most qualified. He saw us in our fear, weakness, and sin and still said, “You’re with Me.”

From Creation to Redemption: He Has Always Been for Us

That truth isn’t just a warm feeling; it’s the bedrock of our faith.

Before the world began, before sin entered the story, before we ever knew how desperately we would need saving, God chose us in love.

“He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before Him. In love…” (Ephesians 1:4).

We were created for communion with God: to know Him, walk with Him, and reflect His goodness. But we turned away. We rebelled. We tried to write our own stories.

And still, He turned toward us.

This is what David knew when he stepped out toward Goliath. He had no confidence in himself, but in the Lord who had always been with him (1 Sam. 17:37).

It’s what Esther clung to as she entered the king’s court, risking her life to plead for her people. “If I perish, I perish,” she said, but she knew her God was not absent (Esther 4:16).

It’s what Jesus believed as He stood outside the tomb of Lazarus—grieving death and yet calling forth life.

It’s what the apostle Paul anchored his hope in as he wrote letters of gospel joy from behind prison walls. “If God is for us, who can be against us?” (Rom. 8:31).

And it’s what we’re invited to believe today.

From Egypt to the Empty Tomb: The Lord Saves

God’s “for-ness” is written across every page of Scripture.

When His people were enslaved in Egypt, He saw their suffering and acted. He raised up Moses to rescue them and then later parted the Red Sea for them to be delivered in safety.

“Fear not, stand firm, and see the salvation of the Lord, which he will work for you today.” (Ex. 14:13).

That word—salvation—would one day echo in the name Jesus, which means “The Lord saves.”

He came not to condemn the world, but to save it.

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.” (John 3:16–17).

Jesus is the ultimate declaration that God is for us; He is the Word made flesh who shed His blood for our sins.

The Father Who Runs

Jesus told a story about a son who squandered everything, who ran away, broke his father’s heart, and returned home expecting rejection.

Instead, the father ran to him.

No lecture. No conditions. Just arms wide open. A robe placed upon his shoulders to cover his filth and shame.

This is your God.

Not waiting to scold you but running to embrace you.

Not keeping a record of your failure but covering you in Christ’s righteousness.

“While we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Rom. 5:8).

“He is not ashamed to call [us his] brothers” (Heb. 2:11).

What This Changes in Us

Because God is for us:

• We live with perspective — seeing life not as chaos, but as a redemptive story.
• We adopt a new posture — not fearful or ashamed, but confident and beloved.
• We form deeper community — welcoming others because we’ve been welcomed.
• We walk in courage — not because we’re strong, but because we’re not alone.

This shapes our generosity, our forgiveness, our curiosity toward others, and our boldness in prayer. Because He is for us, we can be for others. As we live in this reality, we love differently.

The God Who Picked You… Forever

I’m still not a great pickleball player. I am embarrassed to go out there on my own and show my weakness. I still forget the rules and miss plenty of shots. But I’ll never forget what it felt like to be picked—to be chosen by someone who knew what she was doing and wanted me anyway.

That’s just a shadow of the gospel.

God chose you.

He sees your fumbling and failures and still calls you His own. You’re not on His team because of your performance but because of His love. And unlike any earthly game, this belonging never ends. Your place is secure. Your future is held. Your hope is eternal.

Jesus didn’t just say, “You’re with Me.” He also promised: “Behold, I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (Matt. 28:20). And one day, we won’t just play in glimpses of glory. We will see Him face to face. He said: “I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also” (John 14:3).

So, when life feels shaky… when you fear you’re not enough…

Remember the voice that called your name.

And lift your eyes.

The One who picked you is still with you.

The One who saved you is coming again.

God is for you.

Now and forever.

Photo by Aleksander Saks on Unsplash