The wonder of God’s grace

It seems safe to assume that most readers of a devotional book are already Christian or are very interested in becoming a child of God. The book I selected for this year focuses on how to become a Christian. If a reader has come this far in it and not done so, I’d be surprised.

The other surprise is that the author has said much about God’s part in salvation, almost to the point that if a reader was not yet saved, they might think they are not one of ‘God’s elect’ and therefore cannot be saved.

However, today the devotional writer surprises me. First he says this . . . “God has a people whom he will save. As surely as the Bible is true, God has a people whom he has chosen and who are redeemed by the blood of Christ. All of these must and will, in due time, be brought to Christ in true faith, by the sovereign will and power of God. God’s purpose will never be thwarted. His will cannot be overturned. His grace will not be frustrated.”

Then he adds this . . . “And it is equally true that whosoever comes to Christ by faith will have eternal life. The Son of God himself says that he will not refuse any sinner who comes to him in true faith! Jesus Christ is both able and willing to save to the uttermost all that come to the Father by him. If you go to hell, you will have no one to blame but yourself’ ‘You have been invited to Christ. God himself invites you. But you would not come! Nothing but your sinful will keeps you from him!”

He calls these “the twin truths of divine sovereignty and human responsibility” and says both are true. A person cannot believe one without the other. I’ve been patiently hoping for this statement from this writer! It is based on the invitations in the Bible that call out to people, invitations like this made by Jesus:

“All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out.” (John 6:37)

The Lord’s words echo the words of the prophet Isaiah who uses poetic language to vivid describe the condition of those outside the kingdom of God and the loving care God has for those who accept His call to them:

“Come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and he who has no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread, and your labor for that which does not satisfy? Listen diligently to me, and eat what is good, and delight yourselves in rich food. Incline your ear, and come to me; hear, that your soul may live; and I will make with you an everlasting covenant . . .  Seek the Lord while he may be found; call upon him while he is near; let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the Lord, that he may have compassion on him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. ‘For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,’ declares the Lord. ‘For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return there but water the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it. For you shall go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and the hills before you shall break forth into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands. Instead of the thorn shall come up the cypress; instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle; and it shall make a name for the Lord, an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off.’” (Isaiah 55:1–13)

We often drive from the city to the surrounding countryside, from the complexity to the simplicity, from the busyness to the relaxation of few responsibilities. These verses remind me of a spiritual transition, of the delight of ceasing from all effort to be a righteous person and entering in to the family of God. Here my Father bestows the righteousness of Christ and sets me free to be the person He intended, delighting in His care and enjoying the contentment of total forgiveness and the simplicity and freedom of faith in Christ.

^^^^^^^

Jesus, You said, “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28–30) Coming to You means leaving behind the cares of this world, the deceitfulness of the enemy’s lies, the lure of my own wants, and the cries of the crowds to conform. You called, and without Your call I would not know this life had been made available to me. I answered, and without answering, I would have missed the joy of knowing You and the wonder of being made alive in You. Even though my response is important, salvation is truly Your doing, and I’m still amazed that You called me to be part of it.