God's calling is personal and it is never an accident because He seeks to save all those who are lost.

Good Wednesday morning to you. It is go time as they say here on this April 18, 2012. That 'Are you ready to meet God?' graphic I used in yesterday's blog came from an interesting place. When I did an image search it came up with that one, but you will likely never guess from where. Big search engine looking here, there, and everywhere found it on one of my blogs published in September of year before last. I told you that I do have a presence out there in that vast wide, wide world of a spinning global internet where vast amounts of information, data, and graphics can be retrieved in less than a second based on a single keystroke. I don't think that was the first time this has happened but it still surprised me to see my blog being hit so close to the top of the search chain. I love it. In fact,  think that's wonderful. Why? Because it makes me feel important or special? Not even in the least! I love it because if I landed on one of my blogs and it had something to say about coming to know Christ, well, it's pretty likely that someone, somewhere in the world might just do the same. You know. The deal about the Russian engineer finding the Savior through a single verse designation, John 3:16. It could happen. Now here's what would be really neat. Maybe, and I say maybe, because it is, after all, in God's hands, but wouldn't it be a blessing to meet up with someone in heaven someday that landed on one of this country boy's blogs and because of a verse shared along with some explanation, he or she came to know Jesus? It could happen. It really could. He is able folks. He is able! Amen and Amen.

Here's the paragraph where I had previously used this same graphic, from September 10, 2010, "I know most of you think that I must obsess over politics all the time. You would be wrong. I am probably more tuned in than the average bear but it's not something I typically go to bed thinking about. Those who know me are aware that I can still multi-process a little. I used to brag about being able to juggle dozens of issues and priorities at the same time. Nowadays I find myself mostly trying to remember how to juggle at all. Getting all the balls up in the air is not the problem, it's figuring out how many are going to hit the floor that consumes my attention. It doesn't take but one visit to see my brother to help frame the fragility of life as we know it. Yesterday a dear friend of ours sent out an email about his pending heart surgery. It was an extremely risky surgery but one he faced with faith, hope, and optimism. I am happy to report that he made it through the surgery and is now on his way to recovery. In his email he shared his testimony of how this event had triggered a desire to share his love for all those near to him, as well as to inform everyone of the hope and confidence he has in his Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. His desire is to live out a normal life if that is God's provision for him but he stated that he is fully ready to meet His Savior, not because of one solitary good thing he has ever done, but because of the blood of Christ that has saved and forgiven him and made him an eternal child of the living God. Yes. He said he had updated his will and made other prudent arrangements but his greatest concern was that every single person who read his note or heard about his testimony would come to the knowledge of the truth so that when they came to face the end of their days here, they too would be ready to go. What a way to live and what a way to get ready to die. Thanks Bro. Robert and may God continue to heal your body for His honor and glory. Amen."

I got all excited again just reading about the testimony of our dear friend. I occasionally get a comment from someone who has landed on my blog. They typically use the word accidentally. Really? It may not be an accident when God comes calling even in the most subtle and unexpected ways.  Ask the Samaritan woman. In John's Gospel, Chapter 4, we read about Jesus taking a route that surprised His followers. Typically the devout Jews had no dealings with the Samaritans who were thought to be unclean, yet Jesus said it was needful for Him to go that way. Why? There was a divine appointment waiting to be kept between the living Lord of the universe and a very broken woman that Jesus found at the well where water was drawn. She didn't get up that day expecting to meet the Savior. It is one of the most wonderful accounts in the life of Jesus and I commend you to reading it again, for the first time. She didn't expect but God had a plan and she was a part of it. That's how it often works in God's approach to reaching folks. A word, a deed, a testimony, a song, a verse, and yes, even a blog written that lays out the plan He provided to make salvation available to every man, woman, boy, and girl. Maybe it wasn't by accident that I searched for that image. Maybe I needed to be reminded about the life changing power of God's message extended to a lost and dying world. At any rate, I come away being both humbled and excited. Not too bad of a way to start out a day is what I have to say. May God bless each one. Amen.        ....More later.