He fixed my choice on Him!

"I remember when I felt upon my finger the ring of infinite, everlasting, covenant love that Christ put there. Oh, it was a joyful day, a blessed day! Happy day, happy day, when His choice was known to me, and He fixed my choice on Him!" ~C.H. Spurgeon

Having just graduated from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, reflection has naturally consumed my morning and evening time spent with my Lord. So, what is next? Because of God’s loving-kindness, He has directed my thoughts to the first days of my new life as a child of God free from eternal condemnation. Rather than straining to see what lies ahead, I have returned to the best day of my life!

The more I study the Word of God, the more I grow in awe that God would choose to save me. I can claim no redeeming quality. I have done nothing to merit His grace. For thirty-one years I lived in ultimate rebellion against God and His Lordship…loving only myself and clinging to my desires. The sinful nature into which I was born had me rendered incapable of turning my eyes and heart to God.

But God’s love conquers the greatest of sin! Christ’s death on the cross, His loving sacrifice was completely sufficient to cancel the debt of my sin. For there is no sin too great that our Savior’s love has not conquered! It is His victory, His work, and His love that made possible the salvation of my soul that beat with a heart dead in sin. There is nothing a dead heart can do to merit salvation. In light of perfect holiness, what could my sinful-dead heart offer God in exchange for life? My heart was made alive when by God’s grace He enables my heart to have faith in the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

God is the author of my faith. He is also the author of history. Redemptive history is the outworking of the Gospel of Christ which started before the earthly history. The beauty of redemptive history is that it surpasses our time. It stretches both backward and forward into eternity.

The atoning sacrifice of Christ’s death on the cross and resurrection from the grave made public His victory over death. His sacrifice was sufficient for all! However, the Bible makes clear that not all will be saved from eternal condemnation. Only those who repent of their sin and believe in Christ will be saved from the flames of Hell. There is but ONE way to God and eternal life, Christ Jesus.

Oh, what a humbling thing it is to reflect upon how Christ’s atonement was sufficient to cover all my sins. And even more humbling that by His grace He enabled me to receive the Gospel and so His atonement was applied to me efficiently. I did nothing to deserve His favor! By human standard, I was a chief of sinners! Why should have God applied the Gospel to me in the manner that plucked me from death’s hand, I shall never know! But, I shall never quit giving thanks!

God’s pursuit of me was uncomfortable. I resisted being confronted with my sinfulness and rebellion. I clung to earthly pleasures. I treasured my sin. For six months, my mind would not keep quiet. I could not do a thing to dull the call of God. He called me and offered His hand to me; I yelled back and slapped His hand away. I had no desire to submit to His Lordship and give up my life. I resisted until I didn’t; at the point of my salvation I resisted not. I willingly fell before my Lord and became alive with His love.

And now, today, just six years later, I reflect upon the day “He fixed my choice on Him.” With all assurance I shout praises to my Lord before Him and before the men and women on this earth! And, my assurance grows with each stretch of time that I persevere on this earth as a committed follower of Christ. Whether reflecting upon stretch of time that is a fleeting moment of temptation, a day of trial, a season of peace, my years as a Christian, or all redemptive history, I am filled with an ever increasing faith in God, who is the lover of my soul. Oh, to be wed to Christ…what a blessed and happy day indeed!