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This will be somewhat anecdotal in order to illustrate in a practical way the theological and doctrinal truths of election in Reformed theology.
In my time of communion this morning I was reaching for something, though I did not know exactly what, other than heartfelt worship and praise. A pondering of God. And I was thinking through that concept of God with us. It was such a physical reality when Jesus walked the earth, and yet so few recognized him.
Which led me to perspectives, God's and ours. From God's perspective the beginning the middle and the end of his plan and purpose is already done. As it plays out in our history recorded in the Bible, and within our perspective of time, we wait for the completion that we are shown in his word, but cannot yet see or even imagine what that will be like. God physically dwelling with us as he did with Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden.
My mind was sifting through the Bible accounts in the OT through God's perspective of the whole being already complete, and came to that unprecedented morning of Christ's birth. God physically entering into our history for a time and purpose. I remembered something I have known since I was drawn into monergism and election, but that often lingers in the background of my thinking; I (and all of the elect) have always been one of his sheep, even before he opened my ears to hear the voice of the Shepherd. I was not yet joined to Christ through faith, which is necessary and is brought into existence according to his plan within our "time". And every crooked step we take, God is also directing every footstep straight towards the Son where we are predestined to arrive.
This time in my contemplation it came with a memory that kind of floored me when put into the context of having always belonged to God in the new covenant way, even when I was far (in age and time) from union with Christ through faith.
It was a Christmas morning on the farm and I was nine or ten. Everyone in the family rose extra early on Christmas, before daylight had even scratched the surface of the night. The parents to get the two wood stoves blazing and sending off that unparalleled comfort and aroma of a wood burning fire. My mother to set the coffee perking, preparing for the soon to come thumping of feet of excited children on the stairs. On that morning, because I loved what I called "dark morning", I bundled up and went outside. (To be honest that is what I usually did.) But that Christmas morning is branded in my memory. There was no snow but it was cold, and the stars were sharp and clear and the one I thought was Mars (maybe it was and maybe it wasn't) extra bright. I was in awe and it was not Santa Claus that was on my mind but Jesus.
I must pause here to backtrack a bit as to my religious upbringing. We were Christian Scientists and they do not put much stock in Jesus other than he is a failed example of what humans really are but he got closet to achieving it than anyone else. Yet every Christmas Eve my father who had a Presbyterian background, read us the Christmas Story straight out of Luke. And we listened to the traditional Christmas carols on vinyl all through the season. It was the 1950's.
So the line, "Unto us a Savior is born, unto us a King is given." was in my head and something I cannot begin to describe. And though CS does not believe in a personal God, I always thought in my thoughts of him in a personal way.
Even then, I belonged to God. Even then he had his eye upon me with a personal love. Even then and even now, he is with his children. In his perspective, which is the only true perspective, all is completed and will not change. In our perspective, it is already, but not yet.
In my time of communion this morning I was reaching for something, though I did not know exactly what, other than heartfelt worship and praise. A pondering of God. And I was thinking through that concept of God with us. It was such a physical reality when Jesus walked the earth, and yet so few recognized him.
Which led me to perspectives, God's and ours. From God's perspective the beginning the middle and the end of his plan and purpose is already done. As it plays out in our history recorded in the Bible, and within our perspective of time, we wait for the completion that we are shown in his word, but cannot yet see or even imagine what that will be like. God physically dwelling with us as he did with Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden.
My mind was sifting through the Bible accounts in the OT through God's perspective of the whole being already complete, and came to that unprecedented morning of Christ's birth. God physically entering into our history for a time and purpose. I remembered something I have known since I was drawn into monergism and election, but that often lingers in the background of my thinking; I (and all of the elect) have always been one of his sheep, even before he opened my ears to hear the voice of the Shepherd. I was not yet joined to Christ through faith, which is necessary and is brought into existence according to his plan within our "time". And every crooked step we take, God is also directing every footstep straight towards the Son where we are predestined to arrive.
This time in my contemplation it came with a memory that kind of floored me when put into the context of having always belonged to God in the new covenant way, even when I was far (in age and time) from union with Christ through faith.
It was a Christmas morning on the farm and I was nine or ten. Everyone in the family rose extra early on Christmas, before daylight had even scratched the surface of the night. The parents to get the two wood stoves blazing and sending off that unparalleled comfort and aroma of a wood burning fire. My mother to set the coffee perking, preparing for the soon to come thumping of feet of excited children on the stairs. On that morning, because I loved what I called "dark morning", I bundled up and went outside. (To be honest that is what I usually did.) But that Christmas morning is branded in my memory. There was no snow but it was cold, and the stars were sharp and clear and the one I thought was Mars (maybe it was and maybe it wasn't) extra bright. I was in awe and it was not Santa Claus that was on my mind but Jesus.
I must pause here to backtrack a bit as to my religious upbringing. We were Christian Scientists and they do not put much stock in Jesus other than he is a failed example of what humans really are but he got closet to achieving it than anyone else. Yet every Christmas Eve my father who had a Presbyterian background, read us the Christmas Story straight out of Luke. And we listened to the traditional Christmas carols on vinyl all through the season. It was the 1950's.
So the line, "Unto us a Savior is born, unto us a King is given." was in my head and something I cannot begin to describe. And though CS does not believe in a personal God, I always thought in my thoughts of him in a personal way.
Even then, I belonged to God. Even then he had his eye upon me with a personal love. Even then and even now, he is with his children. In his perspective, which is the only true perspective, all is completed and will not change. In our perspective, it is already, but not yet.
