Anyone can be Anyone
“If anyone has ears to hear let him hear,” said Jesus (Matt. 11:15; 13:9, 43; Mark 4:9, 23; Luke 8:8; 14:35; Rev 2:7, 11, 17, 29; 3:6, 13, 22). As Elder Don Longworth pointed out to us this past Sunday, the Greek meaning of that word “anyone” is… “anyone!” No mysteries here. What God says, God means.
Indeed scripture is filled with examples of His unbiased blessing and mighty use of “anyone,” of “whosoever” will invite Him.
Moses, a murderer with a speech problem leads the Hebrews out of slavery (Exod. 3:1-22).
Rahab, a prostitute aids the spies to conquer Jericho (Josh. 2:1-24).
David, the shepherd boy, becomes a great king (1 Sam. 16:1-13)
Esther, a young girl, becomes a queen and saves the Jews from destruction (Esther 2:1-18).
Gideon, a frightened man in hiding from the Midianites, becomes a “Mighty Man Of Valor” (Judg. 6:11-16).
One of my Old Testament favorites is Balaam’s donkey whom God causes to speak, warning the prophet of danger (Num. 22:21-35)! Evidently God also has a sense of humor!
In the New Testament we see such “anyones” as
Mary, an espoused youth is chosen to give birth to the Saviour (Luke 1:26-38).
Unnamed shepherds on a Judean hillside become the first to learn and tell of the Messiah’s birth (Luke 2:8-20).
Matthew (or Levi) despised tax collector, is chosen among the twelve disciples of Christ (Matt. 9:9-13).
A demon possessed man who lived in tombs is set free and spreads his story (Mark 5:1-20).
A Samaritan woman encounters Jesus and tells of him to her community (John 4:1-42).
Peter (or Cephas), impetuous and hasty, a “sinful man,” becomes a great evangelist and church builder (Luke 5:1-11).
Paul (formerly Saul), a persecutor of Christians, encounters Christ and is used of God to write much of the New Testament (Acts 9:1-22).
Well, I could go on… but you get the point. God is available to anyone, and that includes you!
Someone once said, “You have as much of God as you want.” I’m afraid that is true. God offers Himself freely to everyone, to anyone, to someone just like you! The question every Christian must face is this: Do I really want to hear from God more? What if He asks me to do something I do not want to do? … to give up something I do not want to surrender? Do I truly have “ears to hear?” If not, what am I going to do about it?
More tomorrow…
thebrokenrunner 
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