Jesus departed to the mountain to pray,
and he spent the night in prayer to God.
When day came, he called his disciples to himself,
and from them he chose Twelve, whom he also named Apostles
It is easy to imagine that Jesus was so intentional and careful when choosing the twelve, spending the entire night alone with his Father in prayer. But do we realize that Jesus chose us as well, with just as much care and concern? We may imagine that it was the circumstances of our lives that caused us to stumble upon Jesus, that our meeting with him was in fact merely haphazard. It may have seemed that he just happened to be passing by when we finally saw him. But just as our creation was not an accident, neither was our meeting Jesus. We crossed paths because he first chose us. He called us because he had always and from all eternity desired to bring us to himself.
even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him (see Ephesians 1:4).
In him we were also chosen, destined in accord with the purpose of the One who accomplishes all things according to the intention of his will, so that we might exist for the praise of his glory (see Ephesians 1:11-12).
And those he predestined he also called; and those he called he also justified; and those he justified he also glorified (see Romans 8:30).
We are called, but this is no guarantee. We must appreciate the greatness of the call and treasure it, lest we end up like Judas, dissatisfied with our role as disciples, even to the degree that, God forbid, we betray our Lord. Perhaps even Judas, had he remembered the call, had he truly believed that his being chosen was not an accident, might have been able to repent after betraying Jesus. We know most certainly that he could have been forgiven had he but asked. But it seems likely that Judas came to doubt his call, came to doubt that Jesus had so carefully chosen him, as a consequence of his larger doubts about whether Jesus was in fact the Messiah.
To avoid the trap into which Judas fell we must be rooted in Jesus and built upon him, established in faith. The world tries to mislead us about the identity of Jesus, and circumstances seem to show the apparent inadequacy of his mission in the world through his Church. To be protected from deception we need to receive with teaching Paul gave to the Colossians.
For in him dwells the whole fullness of the deity bodily,
and you share in this fullness in him,
who is the head of every principality and power.
We need to interpret the world according to our faith in Jesus and not our faith according to the world. Then and only then can all the apparent problems actually conspire for our good, for the good of those who love him and are called according to his purpose (see Romans 8:28). When we believe in who Jesus is we will receive our own call, not as accident, nor a burden, but as a promise and a guarantee, and even a source of power to bear the fruits of holiness.
Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, heartfelt compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience, bearing with one another and forgiving one another, if one has a grievance against another; as the Lord has forgiven you, so must you also do (see Colossians 3:12-13).
Have we had an experience of being called individually by the Lord of the universe? If we are unclear on this we can ask Jesus to make it clear, to speak our own name just as he did Mary Magdalene. Then we will know his voice. Then our hesitancy to respond to his call will finally begin to dissolve.
Let all your works give you thanks, O LORD,
and let your faithful ones bless you.
Let them discourse of the glory of your Kingdom
and speak of your might.
No comments:
Post a Comment