Your Salvation Matters To God
There is a quote that I barely remember. It read something to the affect of “God cared so much about Zacchaeus that He made sure a seed was planted to grow and eventually become the tree Zacchaeus would climb when Jesus would walk by some 30 years later.”
It made me stop to ponder how much God has done for me decades before I was even born. I think about the people who lived their lives in surrender to the Lord and their daily decisions that set up a sovereign orchestration of my salvation.
Someone planted a church, someone taught Sunday school, my parents taught me how to live committed to the Church, someone directed a movie, someone recorded Adventures in Odyessy for the radio, someone planned a kids camp— imagine if all of these people never did these things or prepared for these events. Where would I be? So many people were faithful to plant seeds in my life but only God would know if they would ever truly bare fruit.
How God prepares for our salvation is unique to us and is part of our testimony.
Sometimes God preparing for our salvation looks like a church plant in our city.
Sometimes God preparing for our salvation looks like a neighbor kid inviting our kid to church.
Sometimes God preparing for our salvation looks like an individual studying medicine for years, to take their training to third world countries.
God calls individuals to himself in anticipation that they would share His love with others, so they could know Him as well.
Perhaps you are someone who has benefited from someone else’s obedience to the Lord with their choices in everyday life. I believe you are also someone who can plant the seed of salvation for someone else when they are struggling to find the truth.
I’ve gone through two very distinct seasons where I had to choose to believe the Word when circumstances didn’t feel or look like it was true. I imagine Zacchaeus’ curiosity might have been the same as mine. I wanted to know if pursuing a Godly lifestyle was worth the pain of changing relationships, breaking tradition and moving beyond old mindsets. I wanted to know if Jesus was who everyone else said He was, and if He would be all those things to me and decide for myself if this life of surrender was worth it.
One of those seasons was during my early 20’s while I was going to Bible college. Imagine if the people who started that college wouldn’t have, would I have gone to another Bible college? Or stayed in the situation I was in from before, still hurt with knowledge of the truth but confused about how it effects me, or could?
The Bible says “We know in part and we prophesy in part.” 1 Cor. 13:9. As we learn about what Jesus Christ has done for us, we must study the Word to gain a better understanding of His choice. In Read the Book, I share more about my experience as a young adult and a list of questions anyone can ask to begin learning more truth and how it pertains to our lives.
Your salvation matters to God, and I know this because it’s the only thing that can bring you into right relationship with Him. Who exposed you to the goodness of God by their actions? They are in your life on purpose. Who planted seeds that would one day develop your own relationship with Jesus? It was a special part of their destiny to reach out to you! And lastly, who are you sharing the love of Jesus with and believing for their salvation? Make plans to spend time with them again.
xo, Steph