January 11

Jude, a servant of Jesus Christ and a brother of James, To those who are called, loved by God the Father, and kept in Jesus Christ: — Jude 1:1 BSB

What a mercy it is for God’s people that before they are brought into a living union with Christ, before they are grafted into Him experientially, they already have an eternal, immanent union with Him that existed before the world began. It is this eternal union that brings them into existence in time. By virtue of this eternal union, they are born at a specific time, in a specific place, to specific parents, and under circumstances appointed by God. This eternal union determines the course of their lives and ensures that they are preserved in Christ even before they are called to faith. They cannot die until God has brought them into that vital union with Christ.

No matter what illnesses they endure, no matter what dangers they face, or what perils they encounter by land or sea, they will not, and cannot, die until God’s purpose is fulfilled in bringing them into a saving relationship with His Son. This eternal union has watched over every moment of their lives—from their birth through their childhood, into their adulthood, and right up until the moment God, by His grace, quickens their souls and brings them into a living, experiential union with Christ, the Lord of life and glory.