Nougat 7

It’s all well and good that we know we’re God’s chosen. But chosen to what end? We’re chosen and called (and also sent) by God. If we were to press further, could we identify benefits to being God’s called? Read on, for that’s the main thrust of our reflection on Today’s Holy Nougat

Romans‬ ‭8‬:‭30‬ ‭NLT‬‬

“And having chosen them, he called them to come to him. And having called them, he gave them right standing with himself. And having given them right standing, he gave them his glory.” ‭‭

Called to Right Standing

Have you ever been an outsider to a group or clique? Or been the new kid on the block? Was the experience a good one? I hope it was. I presume, though, that even if you were made welcomed, there were aspects of the new environment to which you had to adjust. It might be the language, how people spoke or processed information; or the organisational culture, how things are done in that space and how relationships are managed; or even the business of navigating trust. Whichever it was, it may have taken some time to become an insider.

Paul offers a very different picture in his description of what happens when we heed God’s call.

He proposes that having been called, the access to being an ‘insider’ is automatically granted to us. As a foreigner to my host country at present, I’m aware that that doesn’t come easily. There are issues of permits and visas and timelines and requirements for different levels of status long before citizenship becomes a reality. Until then, not all benefits and rights accorded citizens are accessible.

These bureaucratic routines are voided on our behalf in the case of heavenly citizenship. For Christ is our invitation letter. Christ is The Chief Processing Officer, because He is the criterion for residency and citizenship. Yes, just by virtue of being The Called, we gain access to Heaven.

Unfortunately, many of us are still living like outsiders. We don’t tap into all the rights and privileges that come with being The Called. We fail to realize that though we’re not sinless, when we live under grace, we find that we sin less. Many of us don’t realize that right standing means we have immediate access to the protective services of our new country, Heaven. Thus, when in trouble, we can call for help.

Being an outsider can be rough, but we have the full assurance that in Christ, we’re insiders to the most important aspect of our lives. What will we do with this knowledge now?

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May all we seek be found in Christ