God’s call to Adam. God was perfectly content and at peace within the Godhead before creation. Yet He chose to create the heavens and earth, calling man into a fellowship that was personal, intimate and eternal (Genesis 1: 26 – 28). His call was not extended to any other creature: angel; bird of the air, creature that moved on the land; or fish that swam in the waters (Genesis 2: 15 – 17). It was to man that He formed with His hands and breathed His breath into. God gathered them to Himself for fellowship with Him: enjoy and acknowledge His love and provision with thanks and praise; account for the day spent in His work of caring for the Garden of Eden; and grow in His wisdom and favor. Tragically, Adam and Eve heard to voice of a stranger – a liar, a murderer, a rebel – who tempted them with the one thing God reserved for Himself. They heeded the call of this wretch and plunged all of us into suffering and anguish (Genesis 3:6, 16 – 18). Yet, in the cool of that day, God again called them (Genesis 3: 8 – 9). The King came to those He loves and revealed they had abandoned the perfect fellowship and entered into an adulterous relationship, a bondage relationship, a dead relationship with a murderous spirit (Genesis 3: 11 – 13). However, His love provided for their sustainment (Genesis 3: 16 – 19a) and protection (Genesis 3:22 – 25) while promising deliverance from that tyrant and reconciliation with Himself (Genesis 3: 14 – 15).
Heavenly Father, by the power of Your Spirit keep our ears open to the voice of our Savior that the Word of Life may enter in and continually abide with us. Close them to the voice of the stranger – a sin-filled world and the devils – that they would find no place in our thoughts, words and deeds. We ask for these and all necessary things in the name of Jesus Christ, your Son, our Lord. Amen.
God’s call to Moses. God called Moses, a son of Abraham (who had been a prince, then a murderer, then a fugitive, and then a shepherd), to shepherd His chosen people who suffered under the tyranny of Egyptian slavery. The Angel of the Lord appeared to him veiled in the flame that did not consume the bush. The pre-incarnate Christ called Him by name, repeating his name, to indicate the affection and importance His call had for Moses and His people. Moses recognized the voice of the Lord yet requested to know the name by which He was to be called (Exodus 3: 13 – 15). Moses heeded and obeyed the Lord’s call, picked up his cross, and walked the path of righteousness with God Who led him in opposition and conflict with both Pharaoh and the Israelites. God sustained, strengthened, protected, and comforted Moses and His chosen people during: the plagues; the Passover; the passage through the Red Sea; their unbelief at Mount Sinai; wandering in the wilderness; and movement to enter the land promised to Abraham. God then called Moses, informing him his lawless behavior at Meribah (Numbers 20: 10) resulted in his only seeing but not entering the promise land with the Israelites (Deuteronomy 34: 1 – 4). God buried Moses in the valley in the land of Moab (Deuteronomy 34: 6). Yet, God lovingly and faithfully brought Moses to His heavenly mansion and, at the appointed time, had him appear and converse with Jesus when He was transfigured before Peter, James and John (Matthew 17: 1 – 3; Mark 9: 1 – 4; Luke 9: 28 – 31).
Heavenly Father, thank You for opening our ears to hear Your call to us. By the power of Your Spirit give us faith, strength, and patience this day to again pick up our cross, bear it in the face of all opposition, and follow our Lord as He leads us on Your path of righteousness through this veil of tears to Your heavenly mansion. We thank and praise you that You have called us by name, placed Your holy name on us in Holy Baptism, fed us with the most holy body and blood of Your beloved Son, Jesus Christ, and given us work to do in Your kingdom. Fill us with the Holy Spirit that we would faithfully, humbly, obediently, and joyfully proclaim the Gospel with our thoughts, words and deeds in the vocations You have given us. We ask You draw all those to Yourself whom You have given us to love and care for that they would not perish in unbelief and rebellion but would believe in and follow Your Son, our Lord, for their salvation. We ask for these and all necessary things in the name of Jesus Christ, your Son, our Lord. Amen.
God’s peace be upon you, your family and your work.
Pastor Bob
