Everyone Who Calls

January 21

(Acts 2:21 NIV) "And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved."

(John 3:16 NIV) "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life."

(Psalms 116:1-6 NIV) ““I love the Lord, for he heard my voice; he heard my cry for mercy. {2} Because he turned his ear to me, I will call on him as long as I live. {3} The cords of death entangled me, the anguish of the grave came upon me; I was overcome by trouble and sorrow. {4} Then I called on the name of the Lord: "O Lord, save me!" {5} The Lord is gracious and righteous; our God is full of compassion. {6} The Lord protects the simple hearted; when I was in great need, he saved me.””

(Genesis 12:7-8 NIV) ““The Lord appeared to Abram and said, "To your offspring I will give this land." So he built an altar there to the Lord, who had appeared to him. {8} From there he went on toward the hills east of Bethel and pitched his tent, with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east. There he built an altar to the Lord and called on the name of the Lord.””

Acts 2:21 is one of the most generous verses in Scripture. “Everyone” can be saved, if we call on the name of the Lord. It’s an echo of John 3:16, where Jesus says, “Whoever believes in Him will have eternal life.” Salvation and eternity are available to all who believe God and call upon the name of the Lord. What does it mean to call upon the name of the Lord? It means that in desperation, we cry out, “Save me Lord.” But it’s more than just asking to be saved. It entails a pursuit of God’s blessing. In our heart, we build an altar for the Lord, and lay our life on it. We acknowledge the Lordship of Christ, and submit ourselves to His authority and to His sovereign will. “Calling on the name of the Lord” involves more than just a little prayer. It means a total surrender to Jesus. This is the way of faith and salvation. This is the way to eternal life. -- Friar Tuck’s Word of the Day