Nearly everyone makes an APPEAL to God at some time or another. We want protection, healing, wisdom, justice and compassion and when all else fails “all we can do is pray.”
Appeals in the OT are earnest requests, even pleading for something from somebody, either God or a person in authority or a position to grant the request. In the NT, the meaning is the same: to appeal to someone for help, however, there are a few verses that indicate God is appealing to His people, not for help but to do what He wants done. Sometimes those appeals are worded as if they come from the human author, yet the desire of God is indicated in their requests. Some examples:
God appeals to His people to be totally yielded to Him in Romans 12:1. “I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.”
He also appeals to us to pray for one another and to live in harmony:
Romans 15:30. “I appeal to you, brothers, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to strive together with me in your prayers to God on my behalf.”
Romans 16:17. “I appeal to you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught; avoid them.”
1 Corinthians 1:10. “I appeal to you, brothers, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment.”
As His people, He uses us to make His appeal to others, pleading with them to make their peace with Him through faith in Jesus Christ:
2 Corinthians 5:20–21. “Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.”
GAZE INTO HIS GLORY. As I consider the wonder of who God is and what He has done, I realize that being His child is a wonderful privilege with a primary responsibility. “I am His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that I should walk in them.” His appeals are important. He saved me and when I cooperate with Him, then my life is not in vain as suggested by 2 Corinthians 6:1: “Working together with him, then, we appeal to you not to receive the grace of God in vain.”
Certainly that cooperation includes standing firm for what I believe as Jesus’ brother Jude writes: “Beloved, although I was very eager to write to you about our common salvation, I found it necessary to write appealing to you to contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints.”
It also includes being in His Word, in prayer, listening, doing as He says in the ways that He outlines and always with His glory as my source and goal. His plan for my life is far above all that ever entered my mind, yet following His plan in a fallen world is not easy. Even so, because it is from God who loves me, His appeals are far more ‘appealing’ that any alternative!
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