The Call of God

In Genesis 12:1, God called Abram (later called Abraham) in what I used to think was an unusual way, he told him to “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you."  Without advance warning or an opportunity to make adequate preparations or even to know just where this journey would take him, the Lord called him to go.

I have come to believe through study of Scripture, observation of the calling of others and in my own expeience, that this is how God very often works - when he calls you to join him in ministry or a mission, he does so in the now not so much for the future after you have worked everything out and covered all the bases.

Answering his call is not, "Let me think about it, determine the best course of action, tie up all my loose ends, make sure it's in my best interest and then I'll let you know."  It is most often like his call to Abram or Jesus' call to his disciples, "come, follow me" (Matt 4:19) and "at once they immediatly left their nets and followed him" (Matt 4:20).

There would be a period of preparation, to be sure, but the commitment came immediately, they acted on that commitment immediately and then Jesus prepared them as they began the journey.

I remember my call to ministry, it came upon me when I woke up one Sunday morning in 1976.  I immediately answered, got up and went looking for a church.  I committed to serving in a ministry at the Elpyco Church of Christ that same day.  I was set on a journey that would cause me to leave the military, which I loved, and begin a period of study at Harding University that would include four degrees from four seperate colleges and universities, which terrified me.  I continually thought I was not suitable for that level of study given I graduated high school 280 something out of just over 400 students.  Can you say "mediocre?"  Sure, I knew you could.  

God called, I answered, the journey began - I had no idea where it would wind up or what all God The Lord had said to Abram, “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you. ask of me along the way.  I'm no Abraham or apostle but my God is the God of Abraham and the apostles, and he can use me or you whether we feel prepared or properly informed or not.  When he calls, we don't need to have all the details, we only need to answer, like Isaiah of old, "Here I am, send me" (Isaiah 6:6).  Jus' Sayn.