In Between

Today's Bible Reading: ACTS 14:21-28; GALATIANS 1:1-3:23

Galatians 1:15

But when he who had set me apart before I was born, and who called me by his grace

As believers we are chosen before birth and we are called before death. This is the basic Biblical teaching of soteriology (the doctrine of salvation). This truth gives us clarity and confidence on our faith journey. It gives us hope when life gets cloudy and confusing.

We often struggle with life’s purpose and the Lord’s plan. We look back and wonder why and how God can use someone who has done what we have done. We debate God’s direction. We doubt His decision. Paul was already chosen but not yet called. He was in between. It is often the in-between where we struggle.

We are stifled by our sin. We are troubled by our transgressions. He chose me before I was born to serve Him, yet allowed me to choose sin before He called me, and saved me to serve Him. I’m bewildered by this. I’m baffled by His plan in this. He could have called me earlier, long before I became engrossed and embedded in my sinful thoughts and habits. I would not have had to go through all that I encountered in my rebellion.

It’s both the rebellious and the righteous that experience this dilemma. It’s not just the recalcitrant sinner but the respectable sinner who are disturbed by this thought. We are often confused as to why there is a gap between His choosing us and His calling us. We wonder why there was a delay in God’s decision. But even in our bewilderment, we can be certain that God’s timing is never early, never late, but always on time. His chose and calling are determined by His plan and purpose not our perimeters. It is according to His time not ours.

We need not wallow in the “what was”, but rejoice in the right now. It is by His mercy that we were spared in our sin and it is by His grace we are called into His service. Yes, we were chosen in the past and we were called in the present. Yet even the “in between” served His purpose. It is through reflecting on our past that we praise Him in the present. It is in remembering our sin that we rejoice in His salvation. It is in the magnitude of our rebellion that we marvel at our redemption. He chose us; than He let us continue in sin for a season before He called us that we might proclaim the glory of His grace.

Paul in the following verse states: “(God) was pleased to reveal his Son to me in order that I might preach him among the Gentiles.” Later he says to Timothy “Formerly I was a blasphemer, persecutor, and insolent opponent. . . . But I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal life.” (1Timothy 1:13, 16) Here was the Lord’s reason for His delay in Paul's conversion. It was to display to all that if God could save a righteous Jewish blasphemer like Paul who knew the law, than He could save anyone, even lawless blasphemous Gentiles.

God’s decision to delay Paul’s conversion salvation was an example of His patience and power in salvation. Like Paul, your “in between” time was all part of God’s plan and purpose for your life. Your “in between” was not insignificant. He will use it when you testify of His work in your salvation. Regardless of the scope of your sin, tell your story of His salvation to those who are “in between” that they too might find mercy and grace in Christ.

Today, thank God for all that you have encountered in life, the good and the bad. Rejoice like Paul that all you have been through in the “in between” time, is a testimony of the power of God to save sinners and is measure of His marvelous mercy toward you and extend to all.  Thank Him for the in between!