He loves me cause he loves me cause he loves me

It is so amazing that God loves a wretch like me. I just cannot get over it. Me. Big, fumbling, pathetic, tired, mukked up me. And nothing can change that. Nothing. I did not choose God. He choose me. I did not bring my salvation. He saved me. I did nothing to earn His love, and so I can do nothing to loose his love. I know this because I agree with Jonathan Edwards, "No human being desires to submit their lives under the control of God." He goes on to say that our hearts are hostile to God. I agree with that. While we do have free will, this is not the problem. Our nature is not headed towards the direction of Jesus. Our nature, because of the fall, is for hostility and towards the creation of our own private kingdoms. While God is establishing His kingdom, we always try to establish our kingdom.

Yes, we have free will. Yes, for sure. And, I have been elected to an office, and my free will allows me to live in that office. Blaise Pascal said, "God gives us the dignity of being the means of His will." My office is to live underneath the reign of the King, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

While I was driving up to this library in Wake County, I heard a story, a sermon illustration, by a friend in Los Angeles. He said that he was aware of the hype of this political season. Just the other day, I myself, saw Joe Biden in Winston Salem, NC. The candidates for president are campaigning hard. He said, "What if the president, whether McCain or Obama" spent their first year in office trying to figure out why they got elected?" They spent tireless hours looking over research. They spent hours polling. Well, we would be disappointed. We elected them to "do" something. We elected them for an office, to accomplish a task. Likewise, we as Christians, are elected not to simply be grateful for our admission into the kingdom, but we are called and given incentive by the call of the Lord to go out and reach others for Christ. Ultimately our salvation was not up to us, and so it takes great weight off our shoulders in order to be free to evangelize.
Being elected also gives me assurance that my own tragic life, my own foibles, my own sickness, counts for nothing in God's presence and in His kingdom. Whether I am cranky, tired, intelligent, faithful, humble, or, beautiful, it does not matter. We are elected in Christ, and we are given faith in Christ, not through our own efforts, but from the efforts of Christ and His spirit.

Ultimately, the Biblical doctrine of election leads to peace, and more peace, and more peace. It reminds me that Christ loves me, He choose me, and that despite my broken will, He will always continue to love me and restore me into His image.