Soap - Beloved by the Lord

S: But we should always give thanks to God for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God has chosen you from the beginning for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and faith in the truth. It was for this He called you through our gospel, that you may gain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.

2 Thessalonians 2:13-14

O: When I read this, I had two immediate thoughts-that this piece of Scripture is yet again another example of how predestination is an immediate truth in the Word and then I realized how that immediate truth applies to me and how truly blessed are those whom this truth applies to.

Yet again, Paul calls for another round of applause for the Lord because of the fact that God had predestined who would be saved and who would be judged. I used to think, how is that even worthy of thanksgiving? There are people who will inevitably go to Hell and will be judged for all eternity-and I would ask myself and wonder why does that have to happen? I would childishly think that if God "loved" everyone, He would save everyone.

But of course, I realized later in my walk with Christ that God would be fully justified in condemning all to Hell for all eternity. Here, I see the clearest example of grace in Christ-that God could have withheld His Son and He would still be just and glorious, and yet-God, in such deep love that can't be expressed explicitly with words, did not even withhold His Son for that He would make some His objects of mercy rather than wrath. And every time I picture this, I see the Judge Himself coming down from the podium to say, "I will take their offense upon my own head." God is just, and He did not let the transgressions in my life to go unpunished-but, how much He must have loved me to go in my place...

So, now I come to the conclusion that predestination is a wonderful thing-because, it reminds me everyday of how I receive unmerited favor from God, which brings me to the understanding that there is a great deal of thanks to be given-thanks that lasts for eternity in fact, for an eternal consequence that I could not shift on my own. Today, like everyday is a reminder-but today I feel that God is telling me outright to look to Jesus and the cross.

A: I will give thanks, I will give praise, I will give all I have-because I was chosen and I was taken in, despite my wretchedness. I will remember that predestination is not just some Calvinist belief that others choose to believe or not believe, but in my case-it is yet another sign that points to the Gospel and the act that was and is so beyond me.

P: God, to You be all thanks and all praise and all glory. Your Son has immeasurable worth-You are so worthy of the highest honor. You picked me out before I was formed in the womb of my mother and look now! I'm no overt saint or holy man, by any means-I am a sinner, but Your Spirit sanctifies this broken soul-I pray that You would be so glorified in me, that You would be proud and joyful in molding faithfulness in someone who never deserved to be this close, or to receive anything but wrath from You. Thank You for the life You give and the life You gave. But Father, give me a devotion worthy of Your calling-someone who is enamored by Your every word and every movement. All these things for Your glory, in Christ, amen.

Soli Deo Gloria