Kaleidoscopic Calling
The calling of God is kaleidoscopic.
This morning, I had a great conversation with one of our young leaders at NCC. She's in her mid-twenties and sorting out what God's call on her life looks like. I asked her the following:
When you think about the call of God, do you understand that to be a call to what you do, a call to where you are, a call to who you are with, or a call to who you are becoming?
When I was a 20-something, I always understood the calling of God to revolve around the task I was to do. Like Nehemiah was called to rebuild the wall around Jerusalem and Moses was called to lead people out of Egypt.
But the calling of God is much more kaleidoscopic than simply the task we are called to do. Sometimes, God calls us to a specific place. Abraham was called to a land that he would be shown. Other times, God calls us to specific people. Paul was called to the Gentiles. His location changed and his task changed-- sometimes he was a tent-maker, sometimes he was an itinerant preacher-- but he was always called to the Gentiles.
Most importantly, God's calling for all of us involves the person we are becoming. My 20-something friends long to know what God has called them to do. But I am learning more and more that God is more interested in the person we are becoming than in the work we are doing.
So, as we ponder what God's call on our lives might look like, let's not reduce the call to a task we are to do. His call on this season of your life might be a call to a place, to a person, or simply a call to himself so that you might become the person he created you to be.
posted by Heather Z @ 3:58 PM
2 comments
Sacred Roads: Exploring the Historic Paths of Discipleship
2 Comments:
Dear Heather,
I can't tell you how thrilled I was to find you on the internet this morning. As the Dir. of Discipleship at my church outside of Philadelphia, this is exactly what I have been searching for - I found your interview with Sam O'Neil on smallgroup.com and nearly fell off my chair! Loved your comments on the "workbook" syndrom of small groups - and yes, couldn't agree with you more regarding the "practice" element. Can't wait to get your book/study. We are a church of small groups as well, but have a gaping hole in the young adult sector. Thank you for your wonderfull work and insight - Praise God! Blessings to you and your family in the New Year, Karen Kovalcik, Woodside Church, Yardley, PA
Sometimes for me the call is simply to "be." Even less than "become." In "being" I am much more likely to become what God wants rather than what I think He wants. In "becoming," I am tempted to take over and try to do the work myself rather than allowing the Holy Spirit to work.
Post a Comment
<< Home