I am assuming that you know that the Lions were on Monday night football this week. The game was in Green Bay against the Packers. I suspect most of you are aware of what took place and are wondering how I could be referencing that game and using the words “Good Call” at the same time.
Well, actually, I am not talking about the referees, or even what took place anywhere close to Green Bay. The good call was made Monday night in our condo, when I decided to turn off the game at half time and go to bed. Had I stayed up for the rest of the game, I doubt that I would have been able to sleep afterwards. Skipping the second half was a good call on my part – I had a great night’s sleep and woke up refreshed.
We experienced another good call on Wednesday when the hospital called at the very time they said they would call – right at noon. By 1:00 Monica was in her room at Royal Oak Beaumont. So often, it seems, all one does is wait and wait for those calls to come. This one came at a really good time. Hopefully on Saturday morning we’ll receive another good call, saying that the PVC’s are under control and life can return to normal.
As much as we rejoice in calls like these, the ultimate Good Call is found in Isaiah 43, where our Creator says, “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine.” (Isaiah 43.1) This call is echoed again centuries later: “See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are.” (1 John 3.1) And still today, multiple centuries later again, this very Good Call is directed to us day in and day out by our Creator and Redeemer – he calls us his own and we are his. This Good Call even comes with the added assurance that nothing “in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8.39)
This Good Call assures us that, no matter how many bad calls we experience in life, we will still be OK. Whether we are complaining about bad referees or short hospital stays … or times that are much more distressing and distasteful than these little hiccups … this wonderful fact remains true – our Savior has called us by name and we are his … forever.
Now, just in case you still are questioning the call, think about these expanded words from Saint Paul: “’For your sake (O Lord) we are being killed all day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.’ Yet, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us (and called us by name). For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8.36-39) Now, can you say it with me: “Good Call.”