The Call
So what do we do ... what will we do ... when we get The Call?
What call? You know ... that call that rocks our world ... the call that contains words like: hospital, divorce, starving, missing, lost, fired, poor, cheated ... the words that often have us asking back, why?
We get so many calls each and every day ... unless we are in a season in the desert, most calls are probably pretty typical. We do get the blessing to get the call for other reasons too, calls that contain words like: married, thank you, new baby, engaged, promotion, or my favorite, accepted Christ!
However when that other call comes ... how do we respond?
It doesn't take you very long reading Nehemiah to get an idea of how he responded to that call?
'As soon as I heard these words I sat down and wept and mourned for days, and I continued fasting and praying before the God of heaven. ' - Nehemiah 1:4
The news hit him hard, but it didn't break him. In fact, three things stand out to me immediately:
- Mourning is real - and also a real important part of the process.
- Probably most importantly, which you likely realized immediately, he runs to God, not from Him.
- If we were to read later in the chapter, this call wasn't an end, but rather a beginning. It began a ministry in itself ...
This call, led to a calling ...
You may be thinking to yourself, "How can _________ lead to anything good, let alone a ministry?"
I don't know - but He does - and to think that answer is a way out of a tough question, it's not. I'm not God ... and I don't want to be; for myself, or you. Many trials in my life I can look back on and clearly see the Hand of God in my life - and I can tell you that if I took others' advice, or ran from Him rather than to Him, my life would not be what it is today.
Could you imagine if Nehemiah went to get his friends' recommendation, rather than God? Likely even his closest friends in the faith would not have said: "I agree - go before the King as a cup bearer, share your broken heart (punishable by death - but that's another story), and then ask the King for letters of safe passage, building materials, time off, and see if he even throws in some guards. Then when you get there, and you have much of the world against you, threatening, you, just push through as you Nehemiah are a leader that the whole nation will follow - and because of God working through you, the city shall be restored!"
Hardly - I bet the best of his friends may have shared in the mourning, but would have encouraged him to find another way as this idea was just too dangerous.
Should we seek godly counsel? Absolutely - but even the best counsel should not replace a deep call and conviction from God (or the Holy Spirit now for us).
Honestly, if our plans make sense to everyone we inquire from, I dare to say it's likely not from God, and perhaps from good intentions of the flesh trying to live a better life. There have been times a brother or sister in Christ came up to me and shared what God put on their heart ... and so long as it was biblical (as outrageous at it may have seemed), who am I to stand in the way of God? My council to others when discussing a call from God usually comes down two things:
- Is what they are saying biblically sound?
- Pray for and encourage them.
May we all run to God when receive that call, and may we always point to Him when others run to us ... and be ready to be used, and see others be used by God in radical ways ... that's how He rolls ...
His,
~Matthew
Prayer Request: God has revealed to me various areas of my life that I neglected where control has crept in [again]. Strength to give those up by choice as consequences and discipline are never fun (nor are they His first method). May I receive His Love and Grace to repent, and not to take forgiveness for granted.
Praise: Thankful for patience and discernment on a simple task this weekend - to find the leak we had in our pool! My girls are very thankful - and so am I for having Him guide my eyes and hands to find the ever so small holes while holding my breath with goggles!
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