God's Elect

Do I know who are Gods elect?Is it this person beside meOr that one over there?Do they have a label sewn onOr a visible mark on their heads?Is this one of the least of His brethren?Has God revealed Himself to them yetOr does he have to lead them through the valley?Does he have a purpose for themCan I fathom His will for their lives? Is this the next Apostle Paul in the makingDoes he consider himself perfect, self-righteous, and zealous?Is he persecuting Christians, throwing them to prisonAnd is he holding the coats of those killing the saints? Was Jacob an upright and honourable manOr a man who would do anything to get what he wanted?Would I have trusted him with my businessThe man whom God renamed Israel? Was David a muscle bulging warriorWas he head and shoulders above all othersOr just a good looking, wind chaffed, shepherd boyWhich no one thought to invite to the Samuels sacrifice? Was Job any less for his trialWhen he seemed cursed by God and forsaken?Did God bless the accusations of his friendsOr vindicate Job and restore him in the end? Was John the Baptist wearing soft clothingDid he look like a way-faring tramp wearing a hair shirt?Was he feeding on the fat of rich tablesOr was it a standing joke that he was skinny as a reed? Wasn't it Mary Magdalene who had been processed by seven devils,Sitting washing the Saviours feet in appreciation,Wasn't she judged by the Pharisee as a sinner,Whom Jesus vindicated and appeared to her first, at His resurrection? When Jesus came did He look anything special,Was he not known as the carpenter’s son?Didn't even Mary mistake Him as a gardener?Just an ordinary, walk past in the street, looking person Didn't the religious think Jesus an over-indulging wino,Who was a mate with the unsavory of society?Didn't He have friends, who had reputations of prostitutes,Tax collectors, lawbreakers, and smelly fishermen? Is this one an elect of God?Are they sinners more than anyone else?Have I lived in the same sinful way?Does knowing what they have been justify my condemnation?Does discerning their fruits mean I see their future?Peradventure God may give them repentanceDo I have a right to judge them?When God says 'What I have cleansed don't you call common!'If God has called who can hideIf God has chosen who can refuseIt is not the past that matters - it is the cleansed future 31 May 2006References:Act 10:15 And the voice spake unto him again the second time, What God hath cleansed, that callnot thou common.Mat 12:7 But if ye had known what this meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice, ye would nothave condemned the guiltless.1Sa 16:7 But the LORD said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of hisstature; because I have refused him: for the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on theoutward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart.1Sa 16:12 And he sent, and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, and withal of a beautifulcountenance, and goodly to look to. And the LORD said, Arise, anoint him: for this is he.Isa 53:2 For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: hehath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desirehim.Mat 11:7 And as they departed, Jesus began to say unto the multitudes concerning John, What wentye out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken with the wind?Luk 7:39 Now when the Pharisee which had bidden him saw it, he spake within himself, saying, Thisman, if he were a prophet, would have known who and what manner of woman this is that touchethhim: for she is a sinner.Luk 8:2 And certain women, which had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities, Mary calledMagdalene, out of whom went seven devils,Mat 13:55 Is not this the carpenter's son? is not his mother called Mary? and his brethren, James,and Joses, and Simon, and Judas?Joh 20:15 Jesus saith unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? whom seekest thou? She, supposinghim to be the gardener, saith unto him, Sir, if thou have borne him hence, tell me where thou hastlaid him, and I will take him away.Mar 16:9 Now when Jesus was risen early the first day of the week, he appeared first to MaryMagdalene, out of whom he had cast seven devils.Joh 11:2 (It was that Mary which anointed the Lord with ointment, and wiped his feet with her hair,whose brother Lazarus was sick.)Joh 20:18 Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord, and that he hadspoken these things unto her.1Co 1:27 But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hathchosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; and base things ofthe world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bringto nought things that are: that no flesh should glory in his presence. Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my strength and my redeemer. Psalm 19:14© Stephen Share 2006