Monday: Pick Up

Romans 10:13, “For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” 

Have you ever missed a momentous phone call? There have been a few phone calls throughout my life thus far that had I missed, or not answered, let go to voicemail, or even just flat ignored - could have changed the trajectory of my life. My whole future. For instance, when I was in high school, a certain confident, large personality, and quite dashing young man asked for my number - unfortunately for him, I wasn’t allowed to give him my number. So I told him he’d have to find it on his own. (My dad always said that if a guy was truly interested, he’d figure out a way to get my phone number). So, I went to our mutual friend who just happened to be my cousin and told him, hey, if this guy asks for my number, make sure you give it to him. And then I waited. And because I’m impatient, I called my cousin and asked if he had given my number to you-know-who. He told me no because you-know-who hadn’t asked him. I was SO BUMMED. A day later my phone rang. A number I didn’t recognize popped up and because I didn’t recognize it, and wasn’t even expecting a call, I almost let it go to voicemail. Ring, ring, riiiiiiing… but right before it went to voicemail I picked up, “hello?” And guess who was on the other end? Yep, it was Seth. The man I married. You all won’t even believe how he got my number either - but it may or may not have involved entering the school office during non-office hours and avoiding a sometimes cranky but always lovable school secretary and a principal who was not easily distracted and maybe even had the ability to read minds.

While picking up the phone when Seth called was one of the most important calls I’ve ever answered, there’s another one that was even more important than that… when I was just a little girl, I learned about a man named Jesus. He was fully God and fully man, and I learned about how He left heaven and came to earth, was born in a dirty manger, lived a perfect life, and died on a cross for the sins of the whole world - my sins. Your sins. All of our sins. But the story doesn’t end there - no, He defeated death, hell and the grave, rose again, and is in heaven preparing a place for His children, and He is coming back for His children. So how does one become a child of God? By simply answering His call. Realizing our need for Him, understanding that our sin separates us from our Creator, and that Jesus is the only acceptable payment for that sin. We must surrender to Him and ask Him into our heart - it is a free gift. It can’t be earned, bought, or won. It just has to be accepted. I answered that call, asked Jesus into my heart and it was the best, most important decision I’ve ever made or will ever make. Please, please pick up. Answer. Let Jesus change your life.

One of my favorite accounts of a life-changing encounter with Jesus is when Saul became Paul. I think it is safe to say that Saul had some serious anger issues directed towards followers of Christ. Saul truly felt he was in the right which is a big ol’ reminder to the believer to make sure that our passions, our beliefs, our ambitions, our foundation is truly rooted in Christ and His Word, because if it isn’t, we could very well be hurting others with our eyes wide open. While Saul was on his way to cause more havoc, he was faced with a life-changing decision. Picture this: There’s the brightest light ever to be seen and then Saul heard the voice of the Lord. Verse 4-5, “And falling to the ground, he heard a voice saying to him, Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? And he said, Who are you, Lord? And he said, I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.” Saul knew Jesus immediately. Side note, you wanna know something I think is so cool about our Savior? He meets us right where we are. He doesn’t wait for us to get cleaned up, put on our best clothes, make sure our houses are the cleanest they’ve ever been - no, He meets us right where we are - right in the muck. And His glory outshines even the sun on the brightest of days!

You know how I told you that Jesus meets us right where we are? Well, He also suffers with us. He identified with His followers who were being persecuted. He is a personal God. He is personally invested in the details of our lives. This encounter with the Light of the World left Saul blind. Saul was led to Damascus, where he fasted and prayed for three days. Now enters a man named Ananias. Ananias was a believer and guess what? He knew the voice of Jesus immediately as well, vs. 10, “Now there was a disciple at Damascus named Ananias. The Lord said to him in a vision, “Ananias.” And he said, “Here I am, Lord.” The Lord gave Ananias a list of instructions that included laying his hands on the very man who just a few days prior would have gladly arrested him. Sometimes God asks us to do scary things, things that make us afraid or that don’t make much sense to us, our job isn’t to question Him, it’s simple really, we are to obey Him. Ananias, although he was afraid, he obeyed the Lord. Verse 17, “So Ananias departed and entered the house. And laying his hands on him he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus who appeared to you on the road by which you came has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” Saul regained his sight and immediately began to proclaim the name of Jesus. Saving grace opens the blind eyes of our soul. Vs 18, “And immediately something like scales fell from his eyes, and he regained his sight. Then he rose and was baptized.” Saul picked up when Jesus called and his whole entire life was changed!

Read: Acts 9:1-22

Consider: Saul answered, “Here am I.” Ananias answered, “Here am I.” Will you answer? Will you pick up the call? What will your answer be?

Do: Have you accepted Christ as your Savior? This is a call you don’t want to miss! Christian, make sure you are doing your part. Share your testimony with someone who doesn’t know it! Whether they know Christ or not, share what Jesus has done for you and what led you to pick up and answer His call.

Prayer: Father God, thank You for Your Son Jesus. Thank You for the precious blood of Calvary that washes away all our sin. Thank You for the Holy Spirit who indwells in us and makes intercession for us. Help us to boldly proclaim Your name. To share our testimony with others. To answer the call You have for us. We love You. Amen.

Be Blessed!