A Supernatural Calling
Devotions with Pastor Jason Lim

The call of God in Rom 8:30 refers to a specific, internal and effectual call by the Spirit of God in the hearts of man. It calls a man who is spiritually dead to spiritual life in God. This call is one of great power, and it works in such a way that man is not coerced or forced. God makes us willing. Indeed, He overcomes our unwillingness. Philippians 2 says, "it is God who works in us, both to will and to do His good pleasure."

Praise be to God then for calling "dead men" to life in Him! Without His gracious call, we will remain doomed in our sins. But now, God's call connects us to His plan of salvation that was drawn out in eternity and secured for us by Jesus Christ when He died and rose again some 2000 years ago. Thank God for giving us the promise of the New Covenant which He declares in Ezekiel 36:26: “A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you a heart of flesh.”

So let's give all glory and thanks to God for our salvation in Christ. Yes, you did choose to repent and believe. And yes, all who will be saved must choose to also repent and believe. But let us not imagine that we chose to do so because we were somehow more receptive to God's word, or were less dead in our sins. We were completely lost. We were utterly dead in sin. It is all of God's grace. Praise be to Him for His mercy to raise us from death to life!