Looking for grace? Answer the call…

 

Dear readers, I am sorry I did not post anything last week. I had a long trip to plan and not a minute for myself. I am now back to my usual routine .

I came across this somewhere: “When grace speaks, laws are irrelevant, merit is needless, connections become useless and protocols suspended.” David is the perfect illustration. The Law forbade lay people from eating the shewbread: yet, he ate it and also shared with some of his soldiers with GOD’s approval.

He did not go to military school and could hardly walk with the then armour’s gear; and yet, that did not stop him from defeating Goliath.

He was a shepherd. He had no relative or friend at court and yet, he found himself in the palace. If he had wanted to use his connections, it could have been to enlarge his father’s flock or open a school for aspiring harpists. But GOD had another and better plan. The forgotten and underestimated son of his father became the king of Israel and the most heroic soldier of the land. Grace and favour were speaking in his life.

It is not difficult to live under permanently open heavens; heavens which do not withhold the morning dew for you. You just have to answer the LORD’s call, like David. Unfortunately, when He calls, many are those who try to run away, like Jonah. When He calls, many are those who hesitate and give Him all the reasons why they should not be sent, like Moses. When He calls, many are those who obey with great sadness, like Jeremiah. And yet, the LORD’s calling is supposed to be a source of great joy, comfort and encouragement. Indeed,

Mar 10:46-50, “And they came to Jericho. And as He with His disciples and a large crowd went out of Jericho, blind Bartimeus, the son of Timeus, was sitting by the side of the highway, begging. And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out and say, Jesus, son of David, have mercy on me!... 49 And Jesus stood still and commanded him to be called. And they called the blind man, saying to him, Be of good comfort; rise up, He is calling you. And casting away his garment, he rose up and came to Jesus.”

Be of good comfort; rise up, He is calling you. The GNB reads: "Cheer up! Get up, he is calling you." When Jesus calls, it is to encourage, comfort and give us something to rejoice about. Why is it then that our first reaction to His call is often negative? Why do we not often throw everything else away, like Bartimeus, to run after Him? Bartimeus reacted as if he had just been spending his time waiting for Jesus to call him. And we often react as if we spend our lives wishing that He would never point His calling finger at us.

Jesus does not only call us to full time ministry. He does not only call us to give us difficult messages to deliver. He calls us every morning to live for Him. He calls us every morning to be HIM in our sphere of action and influence. He calls us to go from glory to glory and victory to victory. He invites us to read the Holy Scriptures and believe what they say about Him. He invites us to obey His Word. He calls us every morning to follow Him and not to sit where He is not. If we do this, if we abide in His presence, GOD’s grace and favour will not cease to speak in our lives. Have a great week in HIM and GOD bless you.