Day 184

Of Effectual Calling.

Chapter 10, Paragraph 1.

“…taking away their heart of stone, and giving unto them a heart of flesh; renewing their wills, and by his Almighty power determining them to that which is good, and effectually drawing them to Jesus Christ;…”

Scripture Lookup

Ezekiel 36: 26, 27

Deuteronomy 30:6

Ephesians 1:19

Reflection

Lifeless. That is the condition of the sinner’s heart before conversion. We are dead in our trespasses and sins, void of any tenderness towards spiritual godliness. Blind to the beauty of the gospel, we are unable to desire any good. We only choose evil, not even capable of doing good. Yet when we are regenerated by God, we are changed. Our minds are opened to understand and delight in the things of God. He gives us a heart that quickens when we realize His goodness towards us. He enables our will to choose what is pleasing to Him. Drawn to Christ, we become His, and He is ours.

You may have heard about what God does in regenerating a sinner many times before. But reflecting on who is doing the regenerating, and what is being accomplished, should astonish us. God Himself, the immense, eternal, most holy Being, out of His mere love and good pleasure of His will, steps into time to transform you into a new creation. The most wise God is the one who enlightens your understanding, that you may behold wondrous things concerning Him. He, who is love, gives you a heart to love Him. It is God’s almighty power that directs your will toward doing good! One who is so infinitely above all creation, draws such weak creatures as we are to Himself. Such a truth should make us quake with reverence and thankfulness.

Questions to Consider

• If it is God that draws the elect to Himself, is there any chance He will fail? How does that knowledge affect your evangelism?