Ever since I was sure about my salvation in our Lord Jesus and believed, He has been changing me… the worldly things are losing their sheen. Matters of the Kingdom of Heaven are becoming dearer to me. I have started thinking about what Jesus wants us, His representatives, to be to a fallen world. When I was lost, people who had given their lives to God seemed to be fools losing out on all the fun. For at that time I was not saved but was living in the flesh.
But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.
1 Corinthians 2:14 (NKJV)
When I was living in the flesh, it blinded me from the truth of Jesus Christ. I can imagine the anguish and the pain that my friends who were already in Christ felt when they could not get through to me. Their words seemed to fall on deaf ears. But now I know that their efforts were not in vain. Even though I actively resisted listening to their genuine interest to see me saved, each of those attempts were guided by God to bring me to Him.
For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. – 1 Corinthians 1:18 (NKJV)
This is what was happening in me too. Before I was saved I used to read the Bible occasionally, but I never had the interest nor the zeal which I now find in me. But God’s plan never fails and whatever I did to resist Him, He faithfully kept calling me to experience Him. And I am ever so thankful that He did not give up on me. I am indeed blessed that I have been called and chosen.
“For many are called, but few are chosen.” – Matthew 22:14 (NKJV)
This is my greatest joy that I have been chosen by God to be his child, to be his representative, to be His witness to the world. Sometimes when I am overwhelmed by the sheer enormity of this commission, I go back to Jesus, to the cross where he hung, and then I see that there is nowhere I would rather be, than in the centre of His will.
For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves.
Ephesians 1:4-6 (NKJV)
In him we were also chosen,having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, in order that we, who were the first to hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory. And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory.
Ephesians 1:11-14 (NKJV)
I didn’t choose Him, He chose me! This brings to mind how Jesus chose His twelve disciples. He chose them, they didn’t choose Him! We believers were chosen to be in Christ before creation! In what manner were we chosen to be His? In love, in accordance with His pleasure and His will; and not in accordance with our pleasure or our will.
Sometimes I wonder why people take so long to accept Christ into their lives. How could they not see the truth and believe. How could they not feel the grace? But then the scripture tells me that we are called to Him according to His will. The god of this age, the devil, has covered the eyes of the world so that they cant see God.
But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them. For we do not preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord, and ourselves your bondservants for Jesus’ sake. For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
2 Corinthians 4:3-6 (NKJV)
Not all who hear the good news will turn their hearts to Jesus. Only the chosen will receive Jesus. But we know that this is in line with God’s will. Still when we feel that little nudge from the Holy Spirit, we should share our faith with the nonbeliever. Who are we to presume that someone is lost and wont be saved? Though you may not know it you may be the only Christian he knows! So we have to be ready and willing to be used for God’s purposes.
Why were we called to Him? To praise His glory, yes that God is glorified, not me, not you, but God. We are not worthy but He is. We should always remember that we were created to praise and glorify Him and Him alone. That’s the purpose of our existence. We glorify Him when we do what Jesus emphasized the most – Love. Love God with al our heart and soul and love all of God’s children. For when we have love in our hearts no evil can exist there.
