“I have filled him with…skill,
ability and knowledge in all kinds of crafts.” Exodus 31:3
Have you read about two builders
named Bezalel and Oholiab? God speaks about them: “I have chosen
Bezalel…and…filled him with the Spirit of God, with skill, ability and
knowledge in all kinds of crafts…Moreover, I have appointed Oholiab…to help
him” Exodus 31:2-6. And there are other examples where God’s call was not
“religious” in a formal sense, like Nehemiah the wall builder, Daniel the
government man in Babylon, Luke the first century physician. So consider
this: your job could be your calling! When you demonstrate Christian
character there, and use your income to fulfill God’s purposes on earth, you
are as called as any minister.
And your past does not disqualify
you. Paul wrote, “I was…a blasphemer…and a violent man” 1Timothy 1:13.
Happily, God does not consult our past to determine our future.
Furthermore, God will call you to a job that looks too big for you.
Why? So you will never forget where your strength and success come
from. Calls are not classified ads; you do not volunteer, you
respond! God speaks, He persistently nudges you. In Chariots
of Fire, Eric Liddell says, “When I run, I feel God’s pleasure.” All
your human accolades and accomplishments will eventually leave you empty.
Lasting pleasure, the kind only God provides, comes from knowing you are doing
what He has told you to do. Eventually Eric Liddell
became a missionary; so your call can begin one place then take you to
another. Whenever you know you are doing what God has called you to do –
you experience a lasting pleasure that simply cannot be found anywhere else!
“We are God’s workmanship, created
in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to
do.” Ephesians 2:10
When God calls you to do something,
His call comes in several ways:
·
You feel
“moved”. There is a moment of
certainty when God puts His hand upon you, nudging you toward a particular
need, usually an unmet one. You know it in your “knower”.
·
It is confirmed
by others. People will discern that God
is at work in your life. People, who know you well, watch; they volunteer
comments such as “You are at your best when you…”, “You shine when you are
doing that.”
·
You will be
gifted to do it. There are times when a person
starts off with seemingly no specific capacities at all, but this is
rare. With a call comes giftedness – that special empowerment God gives
to the “callee”. When you are in your calling you soar in spite of
obstacles. And people tend to stand back in amazement. Ever seen
Joni Eareckson Tada speaking to an auditorium full of people in
wheelchairs? The whole place comes alive when she rolls up to the
microphone in her wheelchair.
·
You will see
results! You will change things, touch
lives and glorify God. St. Patrick had a dream in which the Irish people
were saying, “We appeal to you, Holy Servant Boy, to come and walk among
us.” And Patrick responded. He combed the Irish countryside
preaching to chiefs and kings. An entire nation began its journey toward
Christianity. Now, you may not be called to do that, but you are called
to do something for God. So, find your calling and
fulfill it!
Written by Linda Diokpa
Follow on twitter @diokpalinda
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