Entirely Outside of You, For You

Do you get how outside of you all this is? The best thing to ever happen to you was something you had nothing to do with, other than it being done for you: entirely for you, but entirely outside of you. It’s all gift, and that’s why it's trustworthy, why you can’t mess it up. 

God foreknew you. He knew you before you were a glimmer in your parents’ eyes, before they were a glimmer in their parents’ eyes, before there were any parents. He foreknew and he loved you, even though he knew you. You know you and you don’t love you all the time or all that much, but he knew you and he loved you, because his love doesn’t depend on you. 

God predestined you. He predestined you to be what he created mankind to be; therefore, he predestined you to be a new creation. He predestined you to be not merely you, but you in Christ, truly you and not less you. He chose you before you could ever choose him. You didn’t get a chance to make the wrong choice. 

God called you. He called you through preachers, through moms and dads and grandpas and grandmas and friends and neighbors and pastors and random strangers. He called you. He said your name and he put his name on you. 

God justified you. He did this thousands of years ago with a cross and empty tomb, but he also did it when he called you, when you came to faith. He declared you righteous, innocent, blameless. He spoke, long before you were born, when the earth was without form and void, and he spoke again through the absolution, and he declared you what you might not always feel you are, but what you were from the moment he knew you, before you were you, when he foreknew you. 

God glorified you. You might be wondering when that happened. You might not feel all that glorified. But you are. You exist in time, but God doesn’t. He chose you before time, and all that he’s done for you is as good as done, even before it’s done so far as you experience it. God glorified you. How could he not? He had foreknown you, predestined you, called you, and justified you. Was he supposed to just sort of wait? It’s all done for you, outside of you, the best thing to ever happen to you, which you had nothing to do with, and thank God for that. 

Do you think he did all that just for you to mess it up? Do you think he did all that just to change his mind? Do you think he did all that without taking you into consideration? No, he did all that because all that is in him, for you. And so whatever happens, wherever it happens, he will be at work as he was before you ever were, for you, to bring you where he has planned to bring you, no matter what he has to bring you through. 

Does that make you uncomfortable? Is there not enough room for you? Let me assure you, there’s plenty of room, but it’s room for you in Christ, truly you and not less you, and it’s to make room for you, to prepare a place prepared long before you ever were, that he ascended to heaven after doing everything that made your predestination, your calling, your justification, and your glorification possible, and not only possible, but sure. Amen.