corners of the earth

I’m overwhelmed today by how much God wanted a relationship with me.

Look at this, from Isaiah 41:8-10:

“But you, Israel, my servant,
Jacob, whom I have chosen,
you descendants of Abraham my friend,
I took you from the ends of the earth,
from its farthest corners I called you.
I said, ‘You are my servant’;
I have chosen you and have not rejected you.
So do not fear, for I am with you;
do not be dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you and help you;
I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”

As a spiritual son of Abraham, I take these verses as addressed to me, and I’m struck by this description of what God has done to build his kingdom. He’s traveled to the ends of the earth, and from all its corners he has called his elect.

My corner happens to be Dutch Protestant northwest Iowa. I’ve been privileged so far to meet Azeri Christians from Baku, a Micronesian, Laotians, Somalis and Latinos. I’ve worshipped with black Southern Baptists in Atlanta, Koreans in Waegon, Anglicans in London and Lutherans in Heidelberg. All of us have in common that God called us from that part of the globe where he placed us, and put us to work there.

I hope someday to meet converted Taliban, of whom I’ve heard, and former atheists and Neo Nazis, because God not only looks to every people and language, he saves us out of every kind of false or mistaken belief. For even the most hostile world view, God has an answer of love, delivered through his people, that overwhelms the hate.

I don’t know why. I know that I’m a pretty feeble addition to God’s army, although my heart is in the right place. God doesn’t really need me, but he called me, and (look at verse 10) he holds and helps me every day out of his great strength. The deal seems pretty one-sided.

That’s not stopping me from doing my best, though. Not being able to do everything, to paraphrase the quote, isn’t keeping me from doing the things that are in my reach every day. While I muster my strength and courage for that grand thing I hope to do for God one day, I will serve with a multitude of smaller tasks.

That may be why he calls us from all of the corners of the earth. Maybe hoeing weeds diligently in my small mission field is all God expects in return for this amazing grace.