Day 280, or October 7th. Don't miss out. Our
thoughts today come from Matthew 22, verse 14.
For many are invited, but few are chosen. First,
the big picture surrounding this verse. As we
enter the last week in the earthly life of Jesus,
there is still much to be taught by Jesus and
learned by his followers. Jesus enters Jerusalem
on his triumphal entry, before cleansing the
temple and denouncing it as a den of robbers,
which should be a house of prayer. He quotes
the prophet Jeremiah, who said this many years
earlier. As you read the words of Jesus, it's
amazing how many times he quotes the prophets
and other parts of the Hebrew scriptures. He
is truly the fulfilment of all that is promised
in our Old Testament. And now today's action
step. Our verse today reveals the old chestnut
of whether we have a choice in responding to
God or are some chosen and others ignored. I
knew a pastor some years ago. who believed that
preaching the gospel was not always an act of
mercy, because some of the people who heard the
words of eternal life were not amongst the chosen,
and therefore it was cruel in the extreme to
tease them with a gift that was not available
to them. I couldn't disagree more. Does God choose
us? Yes, I believe He does. Do we have an opportunity
to choose Him? Yes, I believe we do. So how do
you reconcile this apparent contradiction? I
remember seeing a picture when I was a child,
showing an archway above which were the words,
Come unto me and be saved. Next to this picture
was a second one, showing the archway from the
other side. Above it was written, Chosen before
the foundation of the world. We need to see both
sides, otherwise we will never understand it,
and the concept of free will never makes sense.
If you suspect God is calling you, then choose
to respond by receiving his gift of eternal life
today. Check out how to do it on day 21 of this
audiobook. Choose this day whom you will serve.