Regarding the Call

Based on Isaiah 51-52 and Ephesians 2:1-22.

I hear You calling us who are in the world to be not of it --  to come out, to depart, to go out from the midst  and be clean. Our salvation is Your gift, O God, and the good works You have prepared for us are by You in us, not by our own wits and wisdom, but by Yours. We too once were called Uncircumcised, sons of disobedience, children of wrath... 

But You came to redeem us and raise us up together and make us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus. Therefore we who are Yours are fellow citizens with the saints and members of Your household -- in the world but not of it, having been built on the foundations of which Jesus Christ Himself is the chief cornerstone. By Your Mercy and Grace, we are being fitted together in Him and by Him to become a holy temple in the LORD, each of us a dwelling place of God in the Spirit, each of us a Living Stone, precious to You and made radiant as we allow Your increase to overcome our natural selves.

You have out Your words in our mouths! You have covered us with the shadow of Your hand! "Awake, awake," we hear You call."For those who rule over us cause us to wail! But it is You who reigns, O God, and Your watchmen lift their voices, singing together to proclaim that  all the ends of the earth shall see Your salvation.

And You, who is rich in mercy, because of Your great love with which You loved us (even when we were dead in our trespasses) made us alive together with Christ and raised us up to sit in the heavenly places in Him. Therefore, we who once were far off have bee brought near by the blood of Christ. Therefore, He shall sprinkle many nations so that kings shall shut their mouths. What has not been told them they shall see, and what they have not heard, they shall consider.

Ours is to surrender ourselves utterly to Your will! Make us instruments, played by You! Any way You want! May the beautiful strains of Your music permeate this the darkness of this broken world, that Your redemption may shine on all the earth.

This photograph is by Charlie Burnell.