Daily Office Readings for Tuesday of the 4th Week of Epiphany: Year 2
Morning, Psalms 61 and 62; Evening, Psalm 68;
Genesis 21:1 to 21; Hebrews 11:13 to 22; John 6:41 to 51:
“No one can come to me unless drawn by the Father who sent me; and I will raise that person up on the last day.” (John 6: 44)
Maybe not everybody is called to follow our Lord Jesus Christ or even to be a Christian. Jesus says that “No one can come to me unless drawn by the Father who sent me.” God sends certain people to our Lord Jesus. This was evident with the star that led the wise men to the child Jesus in Mathew’s Gospel; it was true for Simeon who was called to the Temple when Jesus was taken there at his Presentation, (which we will ponder tomorrow); it was true when people like Andrew and Philip and others brought their relatives or friends to Jesus. In my own life, a Marine friend brought me to Jesus at St Anne’s Episcopal Church in Memphis, Tennessee more than forty years ago.
Now having said all that, I don’t believe only Christians are saved. I think God uses us Christians to assist in the saving action of God. Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and Ruth, and David and Elijah and Elisha and others were saved and none of them were Christians. This saving includes some non-Christian, New Testament folk as well because the term Christian was not put into use until the teachings about our Lord Jesus was taught in Antioch. We read, “Then Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul, and when he found him, he brought him to Antioch. So for a whole year Barnabas and Saul met with the church and taught great numbers of people. The disciples were called Christians first at Antioch.” (Acts 11:25 – 26)
We Christians are like volunteer flight attendants making passengers comfortable and safe during the flight. And one thing I have noticed about flight crews as we prepare to board the plane, they get a pass to go right on board. So too, we have a pass to be raised up on the last day. God loves all people and we Christians are here to help them on their journey. God’s kingdom is not about us or them; it is about all of us together. Thank You Lord Jesus.
As we listen to what the Spirit is saying to us, let us live to love, to serve, and to teach, while pondering anew what the Almighty can do. John
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