Whosoever

And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the LORD shall be delivered: for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the LORD hath said, and in the remnant whom the LORD shall call. – Joel 2v32

I don’t even come close to understanding all that is involved the millennia old discussion of God’s sovereignty and man’s free will. I don’t, in fact, think that anyone really gets it, but a lot of guys like to argue about it.

However, there is something about the word ‘whosoever’ really hits home. The merchant in Isaiah 55 used it when he called out ‘whoever is thirsty come and drink.’ Paul wrote to the Roman church ‘whosoever calls on the name of the Lord will be saved,’ and here Joel does the same.

While I may not get it, I am grateful that ‘whosoever’ included Roger Parrow. I certainly don’t deserve it. I the Lord delivered me I was on a quick downward spiral. There was certainly nothing about me that made me special or made me worth His gift of salvation.

I am going to stop. Nothing I can say can express my feelings any more than what J. Edwin McConnell put into song over 100 years ago.

I am happy today, and the sun shines bright,

The clouds have been rolled away;

For the Saviour said, whosoever will

May come with Him to stay (to stay).

All my hopes have been raised, O His Name be praised,

His glory has filled my soul;

I’ve been lifted up, and from sin set free,

His blood has made me whole (me whole).

O what wonderful love, O what grace divine,

That Jesus should die for me;

I was lost in sin, for the world I pined,

But now I am set free (set free).

“Whosoever” surely meaneth me,

Surely meaneth me, O surely meaneth me;

“Whosoever” surely meaneth me,

“Whosoever” meaneth me.