A powerful Scripture, Psalm 50:1, leaves us with an interesting and sobering thought, “The mighty God, even the Lord, hath spoken and called the earth from the rising of the sun unto the going down thereof.” This verse tells us God is busy every day, all day long, trying to get our attention and give us help for our journey here.
God has some very critical things to say to His creation, and why not? We are His by creation–every person on the face of the earth. Psalm 100:3 reminds us that, “It is He that hath made us and not we ourselves,” and Colossians 1:16 reinforces this declaration, “All things were created by Him and for Him.”
We remember, too, a favorite Scripture of mine from Acts 11:28, “For in Him we live, and move, and have our being.” He didn’t just make us and leave us alone, and He doesn’t play favorites, “For He lighteth (enlightens and calls) every man (person) that cometh into the world,” (John1:9).
God bears out in His Word also that He has a good plan for every person born into our world. We find this assurance in Jeremiah 11:29 “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.” God calls every person not only to a life of purpose, but also of peace. “Come unto Me all ye that labor, and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn of Me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls,” (Matthew 11:28-29).
A Scripture we have referred to a number of times enlarges on this thought, “Thus saith the Lord, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls,” (Jeremiah 6:16).
God’s call reveals to us His counsel to live the good life in Micah 6:8, “He hath shewed the, O man (every person), what is good: and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?”
It is amazing that so much of God’s call to His creation is written down in the Bible where it is available to all of us. How marvelous it is, also, as we look to the Scriptures, that we find God calls to mankind not as a ruthless dictator but as a loving creator and His beckoning is always for our good.
Not only that, He gives us the glorious privilege of calling unto Him for our every need, “Call unto Me, and I will answer thee, and shew (show) thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.”
— Randy Zinn is pastor of Russell Missionary Baptist Church, Russell, Ark.; formerly of Okmulgee.
