Musing – When God Called, How Did We Respond?

 

Hebraic Musing – When God Called, How Did We Respond?

On August 25, 1977, I fell to my knees and said almost out loud “Jesus Christ, you are real!  I need to learn more about you.”  That was not a simple a commitment to read a new book, or to commit to watching a new TV series or commentator.  At that moment Jesus Christ became the LORD of my life, I was all His and I was determined to follow Him whole-heartedly.  I’ve never forgotten that moment and at the same time, I’ll confess, I’ve not been perfect in following Him.  BUT that was a defining moment when I was willing to leave my old self in the still wet tears on the terrazzo tiled floor.  That turning point in my life started an insatiable hunger to “learn more about Him.”  

Who else in the Bible was called by God in such a way that they truly gave their life over to God? 
Dying to oneself is thought to be NT wording, but did OT saints die to themselves when God called on them?

·      Noah?        God simply said to “Make yourself an ark…”  Gen.6:14   You know the rest…

·      Abraham? The LORD told Abram: “Get out of your country, From your family And from your father's house,…” Gen.12:1   And Abram did it!  Left it all, trusting in God!

·      Elisha?       When called to follow the Prophet Elijah, he slaughtered his 12 oxen and “he arose and followed Elijah, and became his servant.”  1 Kings 19:21

·      And you can add all those mentioned in the Hall of Fame of Faith in Hebrews 11.

There are many examples of OT saints giving us examples of committing their lives in obedience to God’s call?

In Kyle Idleman’s “Not a Fan”* he makes it clear that while the oft quoted John 3:16 says we need to “believe in Him”; we also need to consider Luke 9:23-24 which requires giving up our lives!  “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it.”  NKJV   The book of James is about our “belief” being proven – “Faith Without Works Is Dead” and works are our responses to the callings of the Lord.

Have you noticed that there are those who “accepted Jesus as their Savior” because it cost them nothing and offered them everything?  Have they considered –
 - There is no forgiveness without repentance? 
 - There is no salvation without surrender? 
 - There is no life without death? 
 - There is no believing without committing?

“A belief, no matter how sincere, if not reflected in reality isn’t a belief; it’s a delusion.”* 

When Jesus told his disciples, and us, to “take up your cross and follow me”, He expected us to die daily.  The cross is a symbol of death; the purpose of the cross!  Jesus final words to the Rich Young Ruler were “…and come, take up the cross, and follow Me.” Luke 10:21 NKJV

There was rag-tag group of unlikely men who dropped everything when Jesus told them to “Follow Me.”  And in that select group are the 12 we know as Apostles, and many disciples, and hopefully you and I as well.

Points to ponder

Why does the OT say “God is with us” whereas the NT says “God is in us”?

How many excuses do we come up with to “follow Him” later?

When you accepted Jesus as your Savior, what did you sign up for?

Can we follow Jesus with our own strength?  Or do we need the indwelling of the Holy Spirit?

If it will cost you your life, is following Jesus still worth it?

♫ All to Jesus I surrender, All to Him I freely give; I will ever love and trust Him, In His presence daily live…♫

Yosef   a.k.a.  Joe Brusherd                                      August 31, 2021
Author: “Hebraic Insights – Messages exploring the Hebrew roots of our faith”
“Biblical Marriage (by Yosef)”  Weekly “Hebraic Musings”   insightsbyyosef.blogspot.com/

*  Inspired by & Excerpted from “Not a Fan” by Kyle Idleman