6 March 2019
First Responders
Romans 9:12 NLT
(God) calls people, but not according to their good or bad works.
When we survey the OT, we see that God used all sorts of people. Noah, Abraham, Jacob, Moses, David and even a God-mocking Pharaoh in Egypt. And he didn’t use them like chess pieces; he simply revealed himself to them, and they responded.
God knows everything. He knows who will respond to him and how. He secretly revealed to Rebekah that her son Jacob would be greater than her son Esau at a time when neither of their personalities proved one guy was more faithful than the other. Two other brothers come to mind - Cain and Abel. Both men had the same personal exposure to God himself yet responded to him drastically differently as they grew up.
This is actually great news. Unfortunately, Cain and Esau serve as useful reminders of the dangers of complacency, but Jacob being used and blessed by God in spite of the man’s many imperfections is what makes me glad. God urges me too long before I jump on board. But God is not waiting for me to be good enough, he’s simply waiting for me to respond.
And because I love and trust him, my prayer is for my response to him to be this...
Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life.
(Psalm 139:23-24)
Dear God,
Thank you for not waiting for me to be perfect before you’ll teach me, show me, love me and forgive me. I am so thankful that you equip the ones you call, and I thank you for our time together this morning. I love you and thank you and pray in Jesus’ name, amen.
First Responders
Romans 9:12 NLT
(God) calls people, but not according to their good or bad works.
When we survey the OT, we see that God used all sorts of people. Noah, Abraham, Jacob, Moses, David and even a God-mocking Pharaoh in Egypt. And he didn’t use them like chess pieces; he simply revealed himself to them, and they responded.
God knows everything. He knows who will respond to him and how. He secretly revealed to Rebekah that her son Jacob would be greater than her son Esau at a time when neither of their personalities proved one guy was more faithful than the other. Two other brothers come to mind - Cain and Abel. Both men had the same personal exposure to God himself yet responded to him drastically differently as they grew up.
This is actually great news. Unfortunately, Cain and Esau serve as useful reminders of the dangers of complacency, but Jacob being used and blessed by God in spite of the man’s many imperfections is what makes me glad. God urges me too long before I jump on board. But God is not waiting for me to be good enough, he’s simply waiting for me to respond.
And because I love and trust him, my prayer is for my response to him to be this...
Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life.
(Psalm 139:23-24)
Dear God,
Thank you for not waiting for me to be perfect before you’ll teach me, show me, love me and forgive me. I am so thankful that you equip the ones you call, and I thank you for our time together this morning. I love you and thank you and pray in Jesus’ name, amen.
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