Called and chosen

God called you and chose you to be his. Do your best to live in a way that shows you really are God’s called and chosen people. If you do all this, you will never fall. And you will be given a very great welcome into the kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, a kingdom that never ends. (2 Peter 1:10-11)

Called, not just chosen. Sometimes we forget we have more to do in this walk with Jesus than just attest to our Christianity. We are called to work alongside Jesus in being witnesses in this very harsh world. We are called to be bold in our faith, standing strong in the midst of things we don't understand fully. In being examples of his grace and love, we can change a very harsh world into a much kinder one. We can make a difference, but only when we are willing to be used by God wherever he places us. 

We must never forget that Christ is in control of our comings and goings, but we must also remember that he calls us to action. Witnesses do more than just show up. They get involved, go the extra mile, and give even when it doesn't seem like there is any difference being made. Grace demands actions of kindness even when faced with resistance. Those who merely 'show up' in their Christian walk are subject to believing things they shouldn't have believed, doing things they were told to avoid, and getting little done for the Kingdom of God as a result. 

From the beginning of time, God has used people to share his message. He has used people to touch the lives of other people - with physical hands and feet that are involved in his work. We might build houses for the poor, help out at the food bank, or even clothe the homeless. If it is done in the name of Christ, the work is far more valuable than if we just 'give our time' to 'do those tasks'. What message does your life portray? Is it one of trust and hope? Or is it one of fear and skepticism? If our devotion to God is active and growing, so will be our testimony. Our actions will be grace based, our words will be kind, and our trust will be evident. Our lives will be sacrificial, and our works will give evidence of God's goodness. Just saying....

Does Plan B negate Plan A

Do God's plans ever change? It is a question I have often asked when things seemed to be going one way and then all of a sudden, they are all headed the opposite direction. Is it possible the 'turn of events' that happened was really all of the original plan? Could it be that I just didn't see the 'whole plan' when I set out on the journey? Is it possible God's plans for us include much more than we see right now? Perhaps God has things more 'under control' than we might think because he frequently reminds us that even before we were born, the plans for our lives were already marked out.

Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations. (Jeremiah 1:5)

But even before I was born, God chose me and called me by his marvelous grace. Then it pleased him to reveal his Son to me so that I would proclaim the Good News about Jesus to the Gentiles. (Galatians 1:15-16)

Home birth or hospital birth? High School grad or Post-Graduate studies? Single or Married? A home filled with children or no children? High-paying career or farmer? Upstanding citizen or criminal? Think of all the various ways our lives 'could have gone' but didn't. There are probably thousands of examples of 'what could have been' that we could enumerate, but the fact remains that God knows the plan - the beginning doesn't really define the outcome - he does! It always amazes me to know that God uses sinful men and women to carry out his plan - a plan established even before they were born.

If we are following Christ, living a righteous life, it makes sense that God can use us, but what about when we mess up a whole lot along the way and struggle with this sin nature we have? Can he still use us? Absolutely! In fact, he might even use some of the things we learn as a result of our sin to help others who struggle along the way, too. Did he plan for us to sin? Absolutely not, but he provided a way for us to be forgiven for that sin - grace. Could it be that God's 'Plan A' has always been in effect even when we chose to follow our own 'Plan B'?

Our calling is established - we might veer from it on occasion, but the calling remains. That means the empowerment to walk within that calling is still there even when we choose to follow our own plan for a while. Is there a way back? Always! God's grace is sufficient, his love is enduring, and his renewing power is available to those who seek a way back into his 'plan'. Plan B need never negate the power of Plan A. Just sayin!