Time with Jesus - Tuesday, 20
December 2011
Hi all,
Being
chosen! It’s one of the most disturbing facts of the Christian life. Disturbing
because it implies that I was chosen and Joe Soap was not! How do we deal with
this because it seems to me that this is pride in any language? Does this mean
that God has a great big “tic list” and that He goes through it and arbitrarily
decides who He will save; a sort of Divine, “Eeny Meanie Miny Mo”? It’s great
for me, but tough for poor old Joe Soap.
This
is treading on thin ice. Predestination implies this sort of misunderstanding.
It also overlooks God’s omniscience. He knows and has always known what each of
us will do. More than that; He has always known this since before the
foundation of the world.
This
Divine knowledge exceeds anything we could possibly imagine. For example,
assume for the moment when I came out of my door this morning I turned left
instead of right. The impact on the world will be small but observable. The
knowledge of God includes the outcome of all the alternatives. It doesn’t sound
much to me. But take the possible alternatives all the way back to the fall of
man. The alternative outcomes would approach infinity. It can never reach
infinity, because only God is infinite. But God in His omniscience also knows
the probable outcome of all these possibilities. So He knows what each one of
us will do. So He knows who come to Him for salvation and who will not. In this
sense I was predestined to be saved and Joe Soap was not. He knows who will
choose Him and who will not. So our free will is not overridden by God. He just
knows what will happen.
So
there is no way I can be proud that I’ve been chosen and Joe Soap wasn’t. It’s
just that He knows and has always known what each of us will choose. In that
sense, in and through His Son, Christ Jesus, Christians have been chosen to be
holy and perfect in His presence. In a small way it’s rather like our knowing
that tomorrow will be Wednesday 21st December 2011. We have not
caused it to be that way. It will happen regardless of our view or preference.
Tomorrow is “predestined” to be Wednesday 21st December 2011. No
matter what we do, that’s what it will be, whether we believe it or not!
This
morning’s meditation looks at this in more detail.
Please
forward my poetry to others you think would enjoy it. All I ask is that it is
not used f or commercial purposes
Blessings
Jim & Phyllida Strickland.
Chosen
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At times when I read Scripture,
I feel utterly amazed.
It just seems so fantastic, that
my faculties are dazed.
To think that I was chosen,
before the world began;
A bit of insignificance, is part
of Your great plan?
The Master of the universe, who
made the seas and skies;
That infinite omniscience should
deign to cast His eyes;
His perfect omnipresence,
omnipotence Divine;
Could even spare a thought, for
imperfections such as mine.
Why do you think of anyone? O
Lord we are so small;
We are so insignificant, and You
are all in all!
But You have spoken clearly and
it’s written in Your Word,
That I am more important than
animal or bird.
It seems a contradiction. To
think that I was known,
Before the worlds existed. But that
is what is shown.
Not just a selection of someone
from the crowd;
Not some giant lottery, the laws
of luck allowed.
In fact it’s just the opposite.
You said that You called me,
Back in some special instant in
past eternity.
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Before you made the universe and all of time and space.
Is where You first decided that I would find a place!
In that dark empty nothingness,
You chose me as Your own.
You said that You would save me,
while I was still unknown.
You say it was predestined; that
I be justified.
That through Your Holy Spirit, I
would be sanctified;
That through the death of Jesus,
Your glory would be seen,
Imparted to the people You had
chosen as Your queen.
Yet even in Your choosing, it
wasn’t cast in stone.
You said that coming to You,
would be my choice alone.
But in Your perfect knowledge,
You knew what that would be.
So you could leave the choosing
entirely up to me!
Predestined to be sanctified – O
Father what a thought!
And as I contemplate it, my mind
returns to naught.
You’ve done it by Your Spirit;
and what’s written on my heart,
Has given me a freedom, which
simply can’t depart.
I want to be Your servant; I’m
captive to Your love;
I want to be a worshipper of You
the Lord above.
I’d like to understand it. But I
no longer care.
For me it’s quite sufficient to
know that You are there.
Jim Strickland – Written 20th December 2011
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