Thoughts on "Call"

Monday, January 23, 2006

"And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved. For in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there shall be those who escape, as the Lord has said, and among the survivors shall be those whom the Lord calls." - Joel 2:32 (ESV)

This verse amazes me "...everyone who calls(and)...whom the LORD calls." Those who call and are saved, are those whom the Lord has called!
I never really saw that verse before, but it is something like John 6:37:
"All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out.."

Joel 2:32 brought to mind this hymn:

"Lord, 'tis not that I did choose Thee,
That I know could never be.
For this heart would still refuse Thee
Had Thy grace not chosen me.
Thou hast from the sin that stained me
Washed and cleansed and set me free,
And unto this end ordained me,
That I ever live to Thee.

"Twas Thy grace in Christ that called me,
Taught my darkened heart and mind.
Else the world had yet enthralled me,
To Thy heavn'ly glories blind.
Now my heart owns none above Thee,
For Thy grace alone I thirst,
Knowing well that if I love Thee,
Thou, O Christ, didst love me first."

- Josiah Conder, 1843, alt.