Images from Another World
I remember, when we saw images from China earlier this year, of people walking down the streets wearing masks, thinking, "that will never happen here!" I also doubted we would put up with lockdown, but we did. I wondered if people would be prepared to go without car journeys for weeks on end, but they have.
I never imagined queuing outside of supermarkets or avoiding people in the streets - and having them coyly thank me for doing so. But all of this has happened!
A host of "never imagineds" have taken place to demonstrate how wrong we all can be.
Every Promise
Let's not be in error about the promises of God and remind ourselves that not every single promise of the Old Testament applies to you and I.
Some of those promises were made to the nation of Israel alone. In Ezekiel 11:17, we read these words, "This is what the Sovereign Lord
says: I will gather you from the nations and bring you back from the
countries where you have been scattered, and I will give you back the
land of Israel again."
This promise to return the exiles to Canaan does not apply to us, of course. An obvious example, you say, but also a caution to thoughtfully apply the promises of the Old Testament.
The best test of whether or not a promise of the Lord is made to all of his redeemed people is whether it appears again in the New Testament.
Our wonderful promise for today, from Joel 2:32 does, and it reads like this:
"Everyone who calls on the Name of the Lord will be saved."
Joel is looking forward to the Gospel Age, the day of Pentecost, when God promises to pour out his Spirit on all his people and to save both Jew and Gentile: in those days, says Joel, "Everyone who calls on the Name of the Lord will be saved."
In Romans 10:12 Paul says that this promise applies to Jew and Gentile, so we can be sure that God's Word here is for all the world, until the end of time.
Two simple observations.
A Promise for Everyone
First, this glorious promise is for everyone and anyone. Everyone who turns to God, anyone who calls on him, will be saved from their sins and receive the gift of eternal life.
Black or white, eastern or western, young or old, male or female, rich or poor, lower class or upper class, Hindu or Sikh, good people and bad people, prisoners and free - every kind of person - are included in this Gospel embrace!
The arms of the Gospel stretch out to the whole wide world! Praise the wide-mercies God "who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth." (1 Timothy 2:4)
Oh, that the world might taste and see,
The riches of His grace!
The arms of love that compass me,
Would all mankind embrace.
This promise is for every one of my readers who has not yet turned to the Lord: the God who created you promises that if you will call on him, which means reach out to him with words of prayer, you will know your sins forgiven and possess the hope of eternal life.
Why don't you call on him Today?
"Lord, I turn to you today. I confess my wrongdoing. I sincerely turn from my old ways and sins and idols, and turn to you. I trust in your Son and the sacrifice he made for my sins on the cross."
A Promise for Preachers and Evangelists
Secondly, this is a promise for preachers and evangelists and for all believers to share with the world. On the day of Pentecost, Peter announced it to the crowd, "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." (Acts 2:21)
We have many wonderful opportunities to share this Gospel Promise in our new interconnected world.
We need to put this promise "out there." Through the suffering our present pandemic has brought, folks are searching for answers, for meaning and for God. We can tell them about this promise. Did you know that God says "everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved?"
Today I have put a "Free, please take One" sign in my porch along with three different kinds of Gospel tract. So many delivery drivers / postmen / etc. stop by; and they need to hear the Gospel too. May they take one and respond to the Gospel.
Evangelists and preachers of a past world would go further. They would press people with this promise, "Call upon the Lord" they would urge and exhort, "For he has promised to save all who do."
May the Lord restore some of that persuasive urgency to us today!
A SONG FOR THE DAY
As a primary-school aged kid living in Karachi during the 1960s, I attended an annual summer Holiday Bible Club. A large hall of children sang together this Gospel appeal every day, and whenever I hear it, my heart is filled with joy.
We've a story to tell to the nations,
that shall turn their hearts to the right,
a story of truth and mercy,
a story of peace and light,
a story of peace and light.
For the darkness shall turn to dawning,
and the dawning to noonday bright,
and Christ's great kingdom shall come on earth,
the kingdom of love and light.
We've a song to be sung to the nations,
that shall lift their hearts to the Lord,
a song that shall conquer evil,
and shatter the spear and sword,
and shatter the spear and sword.
We've a message to give to the nations,
that the Lord who reigneth above
has sent us His Son to save us,
and show us that God is love,
and show us that God is love.
who the path of sorrow has trod,
that all of the world's great peoples
may come to the truth of God,
may come to the truth of God!
I can't find a modernised version of this song, but you can hear it HERE.
A PRAYER FOR THE DAY
Our gracious and loving Father in heaven,
We exalt your holy name and worship you who sit above the circle of the earth.
We thank you for all your promises and for today's promise, that whoever calls upon your Name will be saved.
We thank you for your Son's sacrifice through which this salvation has come to us.
We pray that many will turn to you in these days. We pray for those in our families and among our friends who don't yet know you. May they call on your name and may they be saved.
Fill our own hearts with a renewed Gospel urgency.
We ask this in Christ's Name,
Amen.
Photo by engin akyurt on Unsplash
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