If you thought you weren't called by God, think again.
In my last post, I posed the question: might we be better off not making goals we can't (don't) keep and instead re-focus on the callings to which God has called us? In response, some readers tuned me out because they don't feel called.
Sadly, many Christians mistakenly think that only pastors are called by God. Or the five-fold. And maybe Missionaries. A few might expand this to include those whose occupation requires a high level of dedication, such as nursing or teaching. Most Christians do not consider themselves called except for perhaps a vague calling to the Great Commission.
And yet, not only is every Christian called by God, but we are called to 38 distinct, specific, definite callings according to Fuchsia Picket*.
The first call was out the darkness into the light:
But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.—1 Peter 2:9
One of the most extraordinary truths about this walk with God is that we were chosen before we ever chose Him. Before we were formed in our mother’s womb, we were called and our name was already written in the Lamb’s Book of Life before the foundations of the world.
Another extraordinary truth is that when we were called into His light, from slavery into freedom, we were also called to fellowship with God Himself.
God didn’t make man for ministry or churches or positions, He made man to walk with Him—to fellowship with Him.
God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.—1 Corinthians 1:9 (NIV)
Unfortunately, the first thing man chose to do with his free will was to not walk with God. But we who are in Christ have been called back to walk with God, back to the same intimacy that Adam had when he walked in the cool of the garden, side by side with the God of the universe.
For me, my New Year's "goal" is more of a rededication of purpose than a goal. I am rededicating my focus to carve out more and more time in the presence of God, fellowshipping with the God who called me to do so.
Grace will enable me—and you—to do what He has called.
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* Fuchsia Pickett once taught a wonderful teaching on the 38 calls of God to a conference I once attended. I am happy to share what I have from her teaching but cannot find the original resource, though I haven't given up yet!