“A few weeks ago,” Stan began, “I ran into someone I hadn’t seen for a long time.”
Continuing, he said, “We talked for awhile and got caught up on a few things that have been going on in our lives.”
“That’s nice,” I responded. “You going to see him any more?”
“Well,” Stan replied, “as we parted we exchanged cell numbers and he said to give him a call on Monday.”
“Did you do that?” I asked.
“I did,” Stan replied. “The call went straight to voicemail. I left a message, but he didn’t call back.”
“Did you try again?”
“Yes,” Stan said. “I let a few days go by and I called again. Same thing. Straight to voicemail without a call back. I then sent him a text. I got a message back that the text had been delivered and that it had been read, but still no response from him.”
“Any conclusions?” I asked.
“Yeah,” Stan replied, “I don’t think he wants to get together.”
Continuing, he added, “Not unlike me and my story about God calling.”
“God calling?” I responded. “What do you mean?”
“It took me a long time,” Stan replied, “to call upon God. It was like He kept leaving messages for me to give Him a call, but I ignored Him.”
“But you finally did,” I said. “How did that happen?”
“From a single verse in the Bible,” Stan replied.
“A single verse caused you to do that?” I said. “What verse? Where is it?”
“It’s in the Old Testament,” Stan responded, “in the Book of the prophet Joel, but both the apostles Peter and Paul refer to it in the New Testament.”
“Must be a good one!” I said.
“It is,” Stan replied. “Powerful, profound, and simple in its truth. Call upon the name of the Lord and be saved and delivered.”
“I finally did that,” Stan concluded. “And I was saved from being separated from God for eternity. As well, I was saved and delivered from the world, the flesh, and the devil, as well as from self, for this side of eternity while I wait for the train!”
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Bible verses to consider:
And it will come about that whoever calls on the name of the Lord will be delivered. Joel 2:32
And it shall be, that every one who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved. Acts of the Apostles 2:21.
For whoever will call upon the name of the Lord will be saved. Romans 10:13.
Prayer: Thank you, Father, for your provision of eternal salvation through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Thank you for bringing me to the truth of your salvation. As you know, I was slow in coming to the truth, but I did finally call upon your name. I ask you to help me in following your lead to continually call upon your name, not for eternal purposes for that is accomplished, but for the time I have remaining on this side of eternity. Please help me in choosing to call upon your name so I will be delivered from self, the world, the flesh, and the devil while I wait to step into eternity to be with you forever. Thank you I can and do bring these prayers before you in the name of Jesus. Amen.
Think on this: Have you called upon the name of God in order to be saved from eternal separation from Him? If not, why? Do you want to be separated from Him for eternity? Do you know how to call upon Him in order to be saved? If you are secure in your eternal destination to be with God when it’s time, how about for this side of eternity? Do you call upon God for all of His provision to be saved and delivered from self, the world, the flesh, and the devil? Why or why not? What would it look like for you to continually call upon the name of the Lord?
Waiting for the Train 