Devotion #6: A Call and a Promise
“For ‘everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’” Romans 10:13
“Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” This is one of my favorite promises in Scripture for those who have not yet put their faith in Christ. These words represent an assurance that our God’s love knows no bounds and that His mission will not fail.
The Apostle Paul cites this verse from Joel 2:32. After describing a plea from the Lord for His people to return to Him after falling away into sin, He ends with a promise to pour out His Spirit on all flesh (Joel 2:28). After all the failures of the people of Israel, God showed His undying love for us by sending us His Spirit and making the promise to be there when we call out to Him.
What could be more encouraging for an unbeliever than to know that there is a God who promises to lend His ear to a heart crying out to Him? He will remember their sins no more (Hebrews 8:12). He is patient and ready to save the one who would call out to Him. This gives us great hope for the unbelievers in our lives. Think about a person who is in your circle of influence, whether at work, school, or otherwise, who does not know the Lord. Maybe they are even hostile to the things of God. It is important for us to never give up hope for their soul. God clearly has not given up hope for them. It is His mission to draw sinners unto Himself. Luke 19:10 says, “For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”
We know by the testimony of the Word of God that His promises never fail. I love the NASB version of Isaiah 55:11: “So will My word be which goes out of My mouth; It will not return to Me empty, without accomplishing what I desire, and without succeeding in the purpose for which I sent it.”
Keep praying for that unbelieving person you thought of. Keep showing the love of Christ to them. Keep serving them as Christ served us. Be open and willing to be obedient to the voice of the Holy Spirit in your heart when He prompts you to step into a critical moment with them. He wants you to be His voice in their life. God does not seek any special actions to become qualified to come to Him. He seeks the one who has a broken and contrite heart (Psalm 51:17).
God is ready for the unbeliever to call out to Him. He is ready to prove His faithfulness yet again to the unbeliever in your life. That is the Reach focus we should all have as ambassadors in the world for the Kingdom of God – to share the hope we have with them, knowing that God will come through on His end. He will save the one who calls on Him.