DAILY ENCOUNTER ~ Monday, August 28/00

[1] THE BAFFLING CALL OF GOD

"Then [King] Agrippa said unto Paul, 'Almost you persuade me to be a Christian'" (Acts 26:28).

"The call of God," said Oswald Chambers, "is like the call of the sea to the sailor. Only he who has the nature of the sea within can hear the call."

In other words, the man or woman who loves the ocean and "hears the call of the sea" can never rest until he or she launches out into the deep of the oceans beyond.

For those whom God is calling to follow him, to serve him, to accept him, to love him ... we will never rest until we answer his call and come to God through Jesus and do his bidding.

Indeed, "Our hearts are restless until they find their rest in God."

The danger is that if we keep resisting God's call, we will distance ourselves from him to put us out of hearing and discomfort range. God never stops calling us, but we may never come back to hear the call to answer it.

King Agrippa had the opportunity to answer God's call and become a Christian but his answer was "almost" -- but almost is never enough. To jump a deep chasm and almost make it is to spell disaster. As far as we know, King Agrippa never did accept Jesus as his Savior nor receive God's full and free pardon and the gift of eternal life.

How tragic to have this kind of opportunity and not accept it. Accepting Jesus is God's passport into heaven. Whatever you do, don't leave earth without it.

Be sure to answer God's call today as none of us have any guarantee of tomorrow. To see how, see [2]. Don't be an "almost persuaded."

Suggested prayer: "Dear God, I want to answer your call and find you. Please help me to do that today. Gratefully in Jesus' name. Amen."