Our own call

Hello everyone,

How are you doing on this day? I hope well and bubbling in the Lord. A happy new month to you. We thank God for seeing us through to the third month of the year.

Primary Text

“For [simply] consider your own call, brethren; not many [of you were considered to be] wise according to human estimates and standards, not many influential and powerful, not many of high and noble birth.” 1 Corinthians 1v26 (AMP)

“Take a good look, friends, at who you were when you got called into this life. I don’t see many of “the brightest and the best” among you, not many influential, not many from high-society families.” 1 Corinthians 1v26 (MSG)

Thank God that His salvation is not based on our pedigree or certain criteria like wealth, influence, birth, wisdom, that the world looks at. Hallelujah! Thank God He is the One who picks us, who justifies us and gives us His salvation. If it were left to men, we might not have been chosen. See for example when David was to be anointed king, the prophet Samuel initially thought his brother Eliab was God’s anointed. 1 Samuel 16v6-7 (KJV) says “And it came to pass, when they were come, that he looked on Eliab, and said, Surely the LORD’s anointed is before Him. But the LORD said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart.” Or when the Lord told Ananias to go and pray for Saul who had been persecuting the church, and he was initially reluctant to go because of what Saul (later to be called Paul) had been doing. Acts 9v13-16 tells us “Then Ananias answered, Lord, I have heard by many of this man, how much evil he hath done to Thy saints at Jerusalem: And here he hath authority from the chief priests to bind all that call on Thy name. But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto Me, to bear My name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel: For I will shew him how great things he must suffer for My name’s sake.” Amen. Beloved, we see again that God’s ways are not our ways (Isaiah 55v8). When we want to speak to people about the Lord, may we see the way the Lord sees – looking beyond the physical, the wealth, the knowledge, family background, to see them as those whom the Lord loves and died for.

Supplementary Text

“My brethren, pay no servile regard to people [show no prejudice, no partiality]. Do not [attempt to] hold and practice the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ [the Lord] of glory [together with snobbery]!” James 2v1 (AMP)

Prayer

Heavenly Father, we thank You for Your Word, Your grace upon our lives, Your goodness. Thank You for calling us to be Yours and sending Jesus to die for us. We thank You for saving us regardless of how the world saw us. Father we pray that You will help us to see others as You see them. Father, help us not to show partiality, or to think of ourselves more highly than we ought to in Jesus name, amen. Thank You Father, Son, and Holy Spirit in Jesus name we pray, amen.