11/13/2022
What has God chosen us to do, and how does it relate to the promises He has in store for us? We can go to work every day and do something we are only mediocre at, and then go home and paint a masterpiece on a piece of canvas. Perhaps we work all weekend long planting flowers in our yard, and notice that they never look as good as our neighbor’s, but the maintenance we do to our house outshines every other home on our street. It is the same in faith, sometimes the pastor wants us to serve on the church board and we are miserable at it, but when we teach a class it is pure joy, and people line up to be in our class. Do we simply meet a need that we think serves us best, or has God chosen us for a task that serves His will?
“For I have chosen him, that he may command his children and his household after him to keep the way of the Lord by doing righteousness and justice, so that the Lord may bring to Abraham what he has promised him.””
Genesis 18:19 ESV
We see that the grass needs mowing on the church property, but is that what we are to do? Do we do things at church based on what we perceive the need to be, but unless we are doing something pertaining to what God has called us to do we are not serving His will, nor working within His calling for us. Sometimes this is made obvious to us like it was to Sampson who was born with great strength, and not to become a great and wise ruler, but at other times we struggle to understand. Abraham, who was childless in his younger years but promised that his offspring would be numbered with the stars, struggled to understand how this could be true, and so did his wife Sarah.
Have we been given a promise concerning our life, or called to do something for the Lord, that confuses us? Do we perceive our gifts to be in misalignment with what the Holy Spirit is telling us we should do? When this happens do we ignore the Spirit and do what we think serves God best? Moses argued with God regarding what the Lord wanted him to do… what if he had thought himself correct, and refused to do what he was chosen to do?
“But Moses said to the Lord, “Oh, my Lord, I am not eloquent, either in the past or since you have spoken to your servant, but I am slow of speech and of tongue.” Then the Lord said to him, “Who has made man’s mouth? Who makes him mute, or deaf, or seeing, or blind? Is it not I, the Lord?”
Exodus 4:10-11 ESV
Is this how we sound when called by God? Is this how we respond to the Holy Spirit? When I was young I had a terrible fear of public speaking, but after I was married, and moved to Nashville, I was asked to teach Sunday school with one of the saints of our church. The Spirit was directing me to do this, but my fear was fighting this every step of the way. Finally I stood before the class with my trembling voice, and taught. I felt I had done terribly, but my mentor and the class heard me through different ears. So I began to teach in regular rotation, and my fear was relieved. By obeying the Lord, despite what I thought to be something I would be terrible at, I was blessed. Then later l, when I was called to do something different, and I simply answered akin to this… “Speak for your servant hears.”
“And the Lord called Samuel again the third time. And he arose and went to Eli and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” Then Eli perceived that the Lord was calling the boy. Therefore Eli said to Samuel, “Go, lie down, and if he calls you, you shall say, ‘Speak, Lord, for your servant hears.’” So Samuel went and lay down in his place. And the Lord came and stood, calling as at other times, “Samuel! Samuel!” And Samuel said, “Speak, for your servant hears.””
1 Samuel 3:8-10 ESV
Sometime what we are given to do when we are first called will not be all that we are asked to do, and may not be our ultimate calling at all… only a step in that direction.
“If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear.” And he said to them, “Pay attention to what you hear: with the measure you use, it will be measured to you, and still more will be added to you.”
Mark 4:23-24 ESV
David was a shepherd boy who learned to defend his flock with a sling, but then he defended Israel with that same weapon, and as s result was given leadership responsibilities before finally becoming King. Measure by measure, he was led… but he did not always do so in righteousness. The Lord gives in our obedience, and takes away when we do not obey. David sinned in his relationship with Bathsheba, and by plotting her husband’s death, so even though he wanted to build a temple for the Lord, this was denied him.
“For to the one who has, more will be given, and from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away.””
Mark 4:25 ESV
How are our lives going? Are we answering when we are called by God? Are we arguing with Him regarding His will for us? Is the Lord helping us overcome our fears? Are we growing in faith, and being given new callings? Or, are we doing our own will, what we enjoy, what we are comfortable with, and placing our will above His, and sinning in the process? Today let’s listen for the voice of God, and do His will in full obedience.
“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned.”
Romans 12:2-3 ESV
Prayer:
Father, thank you for the spiritual gifts you have given us, and for calling us to do your will by using them. Thank you Lord for your Son Jesus who taught us to obey you, and to answer “Your will be done.”, even when it is uncomfortable for us. Holy, Holy, Holy, are you our God who calls us to your service, and to do your will. Praised be your name for calling the great among us to become humble, and do the menial, and the lowest of your servants to greatness. Merciful are you who allows us to hear your voice, and despite our shortcomings to find ourselves made worthy in your eyes. Your grace abounds Father, and although we are lacking in so many ways you perfect us, and increase us in faith. We pray for your hand to take the cup and pour the redeeming blood of Christ over us. We pray every day that His blood washes away our sins, and allows you to choose us as worthy of eternity with you… not by our perfection, but our perfection in Jesus, and your amazing grace. You, and you alone are our God, and only you choose us, and determine our place within your will. Great are you who was, and is, and is to come.
“And God spoke all these words, saying, “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. “You shall have no other gods before me. “You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I the Lord your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate me,”
Exodus 20:1-5 ESV
Rich Forbes