God doesn't use laser sights!

Ac 18:9-11 ⁹And the Lord said to Paul one night in a vision, “Do not be afraid, but go on speaking and do not be silent, ¹⁰for I am with you, and no one will attack you to harm you, for I have many in this city who are my people.” ¹¹And he stayed a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them. ^ESV

Paul in Corinth. Many people in that city earmarked for salvation. Impossible to see which ones are targeting – God doesn’t use laser targeting! So, look at that teenager who is called “slut” by those in her street; look at the person who worships a golden statue and burns incense to it daily; look at the man caught up in an affair with the woman he met at the pub; look at the guy who has been living with his boyfriend for 2 years now; someone else in and out of remand centre and prison for stealing; the person with the eating disorder – but such a bad self image; the binge drinkers; people whose mouth is just a cess-pit of foul language; the loan shark and his heavy – hard to see them as being in God’s sight if we look at them in the depths of their sin & squalor. Invisible though it may be, they were in God’s plan:

1 Co 6:9-11 ⁹Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, ¹⁰nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. ¹¹And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God. ^ESV

Must!

Luke 2:49 And he said to them, “Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?” ^ESV

These are the first recorded words of Jesus. He is only 12 years old but already on a mission! Already there is a burning, a passion, a compulsion about His life and ministry. Even though He won’t make His public appearance for about another 18 years, His life has one focus - my Father’s business Literally, in the things of my Father. Living for His Father, gloryfying Him and enjoying Him are His priority.

There is a must (δεῖ) – “it is necessary, or it behoves. A word often used by Jesus concerning his own appointed work, and expressing both the inevitable fulfilment of the divine counsels and the absolute constraint of the principle of duty upon himself.”

This must stayed with Him for the rest of His life - See:

Mt 16:21 From that time Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised. ^ESV

Mt 26:54 But how then should the Scriptures be fulfilled, that it must be so?” ^ESV

Mk 8:31 And he began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes and be killed, and after three days rise again. ^ESV

Lk 4:43 but he said to them, “I must preach the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns as well; for I was sent for this purpose.” ^ESV

Lk 9:22 saying, “The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised.” ^ESV

Lk 13:33 Nevertheless, I must go on my way today and tomorrow and the day following, for it cannot be that a prophet should perish away from Jerusalem.’ ^ESV

Lk 24:7 ⁷that the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men and be crucified and on the third day rise.” ^ESV

Lk 24:26 Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?” ^ESV

Lk 24:46 and said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, ^ESV

Jn 3:14 ¹⁴And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, ^ESV

Jn 4:4 And he had to pass through Samaria. ^ESV

Jn 12:34 So the crowd answered him, “We have heard from the Law that the Christ remains forever. How can you say that the Son of Man must be lifted up? Who is this Son of Man?” ^ESV

So, I ask myself today – is there a must in my life? A passion, a compulsion in my living for God – a sense of mission that I am tied up with something great – that my chief end is indeed to glorify God and enjoy Him forever?

(Greek info from: Vincent, M. R. (2002). Word studies in the New Testament (1:279). Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.)