2/18/2005

This is a theologically-minded post. Just a warning for all you heathens.

Kidding, Andrea. Lighten up.

Some basics: God says in the Bible that He watches over us and cares for us - this means that He intercedes in our life, in one way or another, to help us along. He also says that we (that is, people) don't come to faith on our own. The only way for someone to become a Christian is if He sends His Holy Spirit to them, thus His command to go out into all nations, preaching His Gospel. We, the Christians, are His chosen means of getting the Word out.

I won't get too specific on this next point because it's kind of complex (but please, if anyone wants to hear more I'll be more than happy to oblige), but here's a basic rundown. People, because we have limited free will, can choose to refuse God when He sends His Spirit, but cannot on their own choose to accept Him. We can only choose to accept Him when God gives us the strength (His strength) to. Seems pretty confusing, but that's doctrine. Like I said, I won't get too deep there. I don't have my Bible with me at the moment, anyway.

Okay, recap to make sure I haven't lost anyone:
-God chooses us.
-God moves us to accept Him.
-God moves His hand in our lives according to His will.

Okay? Now, next part.

My church, St. Paul's in Muskego, a member of the WELS (Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod), had a voters' call meeting last Wednesday. James knows about this. (I'm really glad it didn't take three hours, like they usually do.) A call meeting is held when there's a position at the church or school that needs to be filled. They "call" a preacher/minister/teacher/etc. (whatever the situation requires) for said position. We believe that this is not just us hiring someone, like a secretary is hired. Since the person called will be doing God's work, the calling itself is God's will - God is using the entire church congregation of voters to do His will. That means that He's been moving His hand in every one of our lives, so that we came to this point to do what He knows is best. Every call meeting - and we have these quite a few times each year, heck, we'll have another one before next year - is doing God's will. How much is God moving behind the scenes to make sure we get done what He wants?

Perhaps I'm trying to come at this too logically. There are things that certainly defy human logic, like the triune God, the virgin birth, the resurrection, and Christian faith itself. But the Bible also gives examples of how God will move in people's lives; how God made David king of Israel, how He took the Israelites out of Egypt, and how He used King Cyrus (who did not believe in the Israelites' God as his own, by the way) to fulfill His prophesy concerning their (the Israelites') deliverance from babylonian captivity.

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