Five Miracles God Works for All Christians, Part 3 of 5

I taught our golden retriever, Gracie, to come when she was called, and it was pretty easy. While she was still a puppy, I took her out on the front lawn and had her sit. Then I walked a few feet away and called, “Gracie! Come!” And she did.

What made it easy was that I had a long cord tied around her neck. When I called her, I began gently tugging on the cord. She was going to come because of the cord, but I wanted her to want to come. If she lost focus, or started to ignore me, I continued to call her, steadily pulling, and she came. Then I gave her plenty of attention, scratched behind her ears, and told her she was a good dog.

I kept at it, with the distance between us growing a little greater each time. Gracie, come! After a while she didn’t even notice the cord. She loved to come when I called her. Soon I didn’t need a cord at all.

Now I told that little story to illustrate the miracle of how God calls us to Himself. In our series, this is Miracle #3 – God Drew Us to Himself. Our great God made sure that we would come to Him, but He also made sure we wanted to come. He drew us to Himself with an eternal cord of irresistible grace. (You could click for #1 and #2).

This miracle of “drawing us to Himself” is called the “effectual” (meaning it produces the desired effect) call of God. The “whosoever will” of the gospel is a “general call.” It goes to all people, and we Christians have no idea who will repent and believe in Christ. But the “effectual call,” the miracle call of God is one that goes deeper than the hearing, all the way to the heart. The dead, cold, heart of the sinner is given life and faith, and joyfully the sinner responds by repenting and believing.

But can’t you resist this call? Let’s go back to the miracle passage we’ve been looking at, Roman 8:29-30. For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.

Please notice: everyone in the “foreknew” miracle is included in the “predestined” miracle. And everyone who is predestined is called, every single one. All who are called are also justified. And the ones who are justified are glorified—each and every one.

If God calls you, it means He makes you His own. Within His call is the faith to believe the gospel. Here’s how Paul expressed it when he wrote to the Thessalonian Christians: But we ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers beloved by the Lord, because God chose you as the firstfruits to be saved, through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth. To this he called you through our gospel, so that you may obtain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ (2 Thessalonians 2:13-14, my emphasis). 

Our great God makes sure that we will come when He calls. He draws us to Himself. But He doesn’t drag us, kicking and screaming. We run to Him. And that’s a miracle. 

For next time: Miracle #4 – God Paid Our Debt and Declared Us Righteous.