October 15 Daily Devotional

Bible Reading

Acts 9:10–19

Devotional

The Lord calls Saul of Tarsus “a chosen vessel.” Ananias, the disciple of the Lord, cannot understand this. How can a wolf be changed into a lamb? Never has Ananias been more astonished. This is indeed a miracle that we also cannot understand—that a persecutor becomes a supplicant. But that is the power of God’s eternal compassionate love. By one beck of God’s electing love a persecutor starts to pursue the knowledge of Christ. Cursers become supplicants, and mockers become beggars.

Saul is called “a chosen vessel” and this clearly reveals that “it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy” (Rom. 9:16). Saul only desired that which was wrong and he worked diligently to destroy the church of Christ. But when God stops a person, such a one is finished with opposing Him.

Paul was chosen for a certain purpose. Assuredly, God has a purpose when He draws a man to Himself. Election has fruits that are displayed in public. These fruits are not to satisfy the flesh. The elect do not preserve themselves; on the contrary, they must learn to lose themselves. God says of Paul that he will have to carry His name among the Gentiles and he will suffer much for His Name’s sake.

So, to be chosen means that God’s Name has to come in the place of our own name. By nature man exalts his own name. This can happen in a strict orthodox religion, but also in liberal religion. However, when God’s electing love touches the sinner, he lets go of his own name. That hurts because it is God’s work and not man’s work, for who would want to hurt himself? Man’s own name receives a mortal blow. Our own honor, our ease, our delights, our appreciation of self, and our self righteousness, all must die. Paul is shown that he will suffer much for the name of Christ. Ultimately he will have to deny self totally. That is reality for every child of God. The Lord does not spare the flesh although we are not a Paul and will never become one.

Now you should ask yourself if you really want to be a chosen vessel. You now see what is involved in election, especially concerning your own flesh. Oh, sure, we all want to be chosen. We desire to be firmly included in God’s sovereign election. But election is not a lottery game. Do not say that this is a disrespectful way to speak about election, for these ideas live in our hearts. We want to draw a lottery ticket for eternity and be saved forever, but with preservation of ourselves. Someone can draw a lottery ticket and remain the same. He does not change. People want to be saved and spare their own flesh. But that will be impossible, because when God works, He transforms people into His image.

Why not cast your net on the other side? Ask yourself if you just need election for yourself. Ask much for God’s uncovering light to expose your selfishness, because self-knowledge is the first fruit of election. When you are drawn from the darkness of your own existence, remember that you will only be able to make your election sure in these two fruits: By glorifying His name and by dying to your own name. In these matters you will never make enough progress.

 

From The Everlasting Word by Frans Bakker, compiled and translated by Gerald R. Procee. Reformation Heritage Books and Free Reformed Publications, 2007. Used by permission. For further information, click here.