Everyone's Invited
Everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord will be saved. (Romans 10:13)
Rom. 10:9-13 and 9:2-5; Joel 2:28-32; John 1:11-13; Acts 2:21 and 10:42-43; II Pet. 3:9
What Is God Saying?
Paul is writing this passage in deep anguish of heart (Romans 9:2). His people, God's chosen ones, the Jews, were privileged. God spoke to them in special ways and gave them great advantages. They had the covenants, the Law, promises for the future, and, above all, ‘they were given the Christ’ (Romans 9:4-5). But many of them refused to believe in their own Messiah. They regarded their salvat10n as a reward because they kept the Law. Paul agonized over this. No one is good enough to make it by keeping the Law. Grace is the only answer. This liberating truth, this blessed Gift, the reason Christ came, this amazing grace of God fell on deaf ears and unresponsive hearts. Still, Paul pleads, even using their sacred Scripture, ‘Everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord will be saved’ (Joel 2.32). Jews and Gentiles have all sinned. Paul quotes from their Scripture (Ps 14:3 and 53:3), ‘None is righteous, no, not one’ (Rom 3:10). Everyone has sinned, but anyone may be saved. Salvation is free—not cheap, but free. Call upon the name of the Lord and you will be saved. That's what makes the Good News so good.
How Does This Apply To Us?
There is so much in this brief verse. It applies to everyone. We don't have to climb a ladder or spend many hours in penance. We don't have to be good enough for God to like us or give us a passing grade. It is not doing work, nor is it a rigorous program of spiritual fitness, just a call of faith, a simple prayer, a sincere invitation to Jesus to come into our hearts and take control. We call upon a Person, a loving Person who has a name. We don't call up to a set of rules which we have kept. We don't call out to an idol of stone. We call upon a Person with a name, a name above every name. And having done that, we have assurance. Our verse says, ‘will be saved’—not maybe, not perhaps, but will! How wonderful to know that we have been saved!
Pray With Me
Everlasting praise to that name and to Him who bears it! Jesus is mighty to save. He is able to scatter the darkness in every corner of every heart turned toward Him. He changes cowards into heroes. I call upon this name and in a moment, I am saved. Thank You, Lord, that this is an all-inclusive invitation. Everyone means everyone. Everyone means me.
I thank You, Lord, that it is simply a call and not a lifetime of penance or the dread of future punishment. It is simply calling upon Your name that saves. I thank You, Lord, that it is a name, the name of a Person. It is the name that has become the dearest treasure of my heart. I call upon a Person who responds to my needs because He knows my needs.
I thank You, Lord, for the certainty that all who call upon Your name will be saved. It rings with confidence. It sings with joy. It is neither wistful longing nor wishful thinking. It is Your word of promise. It is as sure as creation. It is as real as light. It is as certain as seedtime and harvest. Such is the promise of salvation to Him who calls upon the name of the Lord. I call on You now, O Strong Deliverer. Let me continue in such constant fellowship with You that Your grace which always saves shall be the grace I always have.
In that name upon which no penitent and believing heart has ever called in vain. Amen.
Moving On In The Life of Prayer
The essence of prayer is calling upon the name of the Lord. We call on that name after salvation and receive blessings that exceed all we can ask or think. We call on that name in the full knowledge that He who knows our real problems has real solutions. He knows where when and how we are weak and provides us with strength that is made perfect in weakness. His power becomes our power. The ultimate power of prayer is His power working in us. Prayer is calling His name and receiving His power.
