Scripture reading: Genesis 12:1–4

All for the Call

God called to him out of the bush, “Moses, Moses!” And he said, “Here I am.” (Exodus 3:4)

Few people have had greater influence on the course of human his- tory than Moses. The legal profession, government, ethics, the arts, architecture, literature, liturgy, and the rise of monotheism are all profoundly impacted by this solitary Jew who lived more than three millennia ago. How does one explain such an extraordinary life? The answer lies in Moses’ call. He was not driven by personal ambition; rather, he was called by God. His example reminds us that our lives will ultimately find their significance, not in the forces that drive us, but in the Voice that calls us. Oswald Chambers explains it like this:

The call of God is like the call of the sea, or of the mountains; no one hears these calls but the one who has the nature of the sea or of the mountains; and no one hears the call of God who has not the nature of God in him. . . .

Scripture is full of examples of men and women who changed the world because they heard this call and stepped out in faith to follow wherever God would lead them. Abraham, Moses, Samuel, David, Peter, Paul, etc. gave all for the call. At first the call was vague and indistinct. But as they followed in obedience, the purposes of God became more and more clear, gloriously clear!

The call of God only becomes clear as we obey, never as we weigh the pros and cons and try to reason it out. . . . As long as we insist on having the call expounded to us, we will never obey; but when we obey it is expounded, and in looking back there comes a chuckle of confidence—“He doeth all things well.” (The Complete Works of Oswald Chambers)

At the risk of oversimplification, two basic realities undergird every call that is from God:

,. It is a call to a journey more than it is to a destination. “Follow me,” Jesus said to his disciples. It astounds me that no one in that original band of brothers paused to ask, “Excuse me, Jesus, but where are we going?” Many

have misunderstood their calling in life because they have somehow concluded that the destination was more important than the journey! Our calling is first of all to simply to walk with Jesus, to walk where he walks. As we journey with him we automatically begin to discover where he wants us to go and what he wants us to do.

,. It is a call to a relationship more than it is to a task. When God’s call is understood in terms of what we do rather than in terms of who we are, we begin to go astray. Though God’s call on our lives will inevitably lead us to involvement in various functions, roles and actions, the essence of our calling is not there. Rather, the call is an invitation to intimacy with God. “Follow me,” is not just about a journey. It is about a relationship with the One who calls. Those who are called, like Paul, will always summarize the meaning of life in these words: that I may know him (Philippians 3:10).

Dear friend, are you driven or called? If you find that you aren’t sure how to answer, then perhaps it is time to slow down and reflect deeply on the real meaning of life. Maybe the real question is not “Are you called?” but rather, “Are you listening?”

You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide (John 15:16).

 

Calling should not only precede career but outlast it too. Vocations never end, even when occupations do. We may retire from our jobs but never from our calling. We may at times be unemployed, but no one ever becomes uncalled.

—Os Guinness

point to ponder • Are you called or driven?

prayer focus • Those wandering in meaningless circles.