I invite you to reflect very seriously on God’s calling for your life. Do not shake your head too quickly. Rather, read slowly and listen to the whispering of the Spirit. As I grow older, I become more aware of the importance of God’s calling in a Christian’s life. I am surprised by the tragic fact that the devil has managed to rob God’s people of this truth, and by the boundless losses that God’s kingdom has suffered and continues to suffer.
Hierdie artikel is ook in Afrikaans beskikbaar: God roep jou vandag.
1. God the Almighty Creator
I am convinced that our problem firstly lies in our lack of understanding of who God is and therefore also in our lack of fear of the Lord.
God’s creation is completely beyond our comprehension. Gideon Joubert writes that human perceptions and concepts cannot measure or quantify God’s infinite creation. Likewise, our flawed understanding and calculation of time can never inform us of when creation began or when it will end. We are without beginning and without end, in our small existence. We have a total inability to describe creation – of which we are but a microscopic small dust particle – in understandable definitions. That is to say, we have an inability to understand the Creator Himself. We try to understand creation through science, but we still get stuck in the immeasurable infinity of creation, the creation that was but the work of His fingertips (Ps. 8).
Of God, the only Creator God, Paul writes that we, in our journey with the Spirit to understand His love, will discover that His love transcends our minds. We will also discover that His power working in us, is capable of doing infinitely more than we can pray or think (Eph. 3:19,20). God’s love and power in us, through Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit, always exceeds our highest expectations.
It is not right that this Almighty God, who should be honoured, believed in and recognised for His boundless love, has to fight, so to speak, for a place at “the back of the line”.
2. God on His way to His purpose
Once you know the above, or rather, once you have stumbled across the threshold trying to grasp it, you then should also try to understand that the Creator God is en route with the macrocosm to a final destination. This intention or destination originates from before the foundation of the macrocosm. The Bible speaks of a new heaven and earth, where God will reign with glory. God, the Almighty Creator, is unfolding a very specific plan for Creation. Just as surely as you try to understand an Almighty God in His greatness and love, you must also be convinced that He is on His way with this world to a final destination. He is the Saviour of this world.
Can you hear the footsteps on the gravel road – God on His way – when you read of Jesus’ walking from village to village, preaching the good news of the coming of God’s kingdom, of His salvation and dominion that will one day culminate in the new heaven and earth? He preached well and did many wonders and healed people. I wish I could have walked with Him. You would have heard, seen and smelled the new heaven and earth. Is this new destination still far in the future, you may wonder? Maybe it is not so far away!
The day Jesus and His disciples talked about John the Baptist, shortly before John was killed by King Herod, He said “since John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven has forced opened a path for itself, and people who exert themselves forcefully (with courage), get it in possession.” (refer to Matt 11:12)
3. You are inextricably part of God’s plan, He is en route with you
Did you know that you are part of the group: “… people who exert themselves forcefully get it in possession?”
Hear what Jesus said just before this: “The harvest is great, but the labourers are few. Then pray the Lord to whom the harvest belongs, to send out labourers for his harvest.” Can you hear His longing; His longing to save every man through His death and resurrection? Please read slowly and listen carefully, and do not let anything pass you by.
But hear this too: it was late Sunday night, the Day of Resurrection, and His disciples were hiding in a room behind a closed door. It was then that He – still en route with His plan with the world – came through the door and stood between them. Twice He said: “Shalom, peace be unto you.” On the day of resurrection, His kingdom of peace broke through, like green grass through the concrete, into this world (Kobus de Smidt). He continues; “As the Father has sent Me, I also send you.” And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit!”
4. The Creator Spirit empowers us like Jesus
The Holy Spirit was the Creator Spirit who hovered over the dark earth the day He began to create. The Spirit through which God created and sustains the earth. The Spirit who raised Jesus from the dead when He died, clothed Him with all power and raised Him to the right hand of God the Father. It is the same Spirit that works in us with the same power. God en route with the coming of His kingdom, but this time, in and through us. Paul writes of this: “Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ (because we are one with Christ)” (2 Cor. 2:14).
This ministry of the Spirit working through us, is the all-pervading glory of God that far surpasses the events of Moses on Sinai (2 Cor. 3: 9,10).
Paul’s utterance, echoes Jesus, namely: “… the kingdom of heaven has forced opened a path for itself, and people who exert themselves forcefully (with courage), get it in possession.”
5. Why do we miss this monumental truth?
- Because the church has taught us that only important “church people” are called?
- Because status and stature are associated with calling?
- That the church should officially ordain you – only then are you called?
- That you should have a beautiful church with expensive rugs and lots of people?
- There is no Christian who is not called. Our calling may differ, just as Christians differ.
- Or are we perhaps missing it because we do not realise who God really is, and we do not care about Him?
- Is God perhaps less important to us? Now I’m walking on thin ice.
- Is earthly goods or stature perhaps more important to us than the coming of God’s kingdom?
- We are so busy with other things. No, this cannot be true, you will not be able to take a chair or table with you!
- Or maybe you think you cannot do it. Or that God does not want to use you, or that you are too old or too young? Give God a chance, He is more creative than we think, and maybe then we can start to think differently about our calling!
What do I want? I want for God’s greatness and love to become a greater reality to you, through the working of the Holy Spirit. I ask that you place yourself in the Lord’s hands. It is He who has called you and He will take your hand and guide you on your greatest adventure. He will determine the nature of the work, demarcate it and also empower you. Of course, you will have to equip yourself, because you will now be a student of God for the rest of your life. Slowly embark on this journey with God. And in the end He will one day say, “Well done, good servant; because you were faithful in a very little, have authority over ten cities” (Luke 19:17).
6. You can be part of a revival!
I have such a suspicion that today God wants to make us part of the greatest revival the world has ever seen, like small fires springing up everywhere. He must be recognised and served as the only God in this world. He must become the Saviour of all. That is our calling.
Thank you for such an uplifting script.
That is so inspirational and very true. It has a great motivational message for everyone. Christian’s are very fortunate to have known this.