I received several nice comments and emails regarding my post about being called to something that one might not have done on their own. One friend wrote to say that he occasionally "hears" a fishing lake calling him and that his community servant status was born more out of a sense or duty of responsibility for giving back rather than having come about as a result of a call. Finally, having been called in his life to the ministry, he believes perhaps he hasn't really been called to anything else, other than that. All of those points make sense but still................
I agree that being called and/or being led very close in meaning; rather when I speak of a call I do infer that it is a someone making the call, that someone being God, calling me out of myself, my self-centeredness, out of the me only world.
I believe that ALL are called (or led) by the Father, and/or the Son, and/or the Holy Spirit, that there is a spark in every living person that waits to be ignited through personal discernment; discernment for where God would like us to be in relation to having been created. For me that discernment comes from the discovery of Jesus Christ and of clumsily attempting to follow his outline for living. And since the law that Jesus espoused came from the Jewish prophets, his earthly ancestry, I expect he has no difficulty with human beings coming to him through their understanding of the law. For me (perhaps a universalist?) I believe that discernment may lead searchers to listen through their Jewish ears or their Muslim ears, even through their Southern Baptist ears to find what, who, where, and how they are to live their lives and raise their families - oh yeah, again I say - for me discernment begins with trying to be quiet long enough to hear the still, small voice calling, or leading to a better way of life here on earth.
I don't want to diminish the value of a call to those who see it as singly a call to ministry. I only seek to encourage myself and those I know and meet that there is more in our lives than doing good things on earth in order to receive the ultimate prize in death. I believe that God (while not micro-managing us) calls us repeatedly to realize the fullness of salvation while we are still kickin' and breathin' and knowin' that this life we live IS a call and that we should do our best to recognize and live into that call to the best of our ability.
The mystery of God's presence in my life is more evident than just receiving "yes answers" to all my prayers for growth, guidance and right living. Believing that God continues to call me throughout my life on earth, I hope to make discernment an integral part of my life. And choosing a quote from a commenter on this subject - "Does any of this make sense?" I welcome your responses!!! It's so much more fun sharing a topic rather than plowing through it one one's own.
I agree that being called and/or being led very close in meaning; rather when I speak of a call I do infer that it is a someone making the call, that someone being God, calling me out of myself, my self-centeredness, out of the me only world.
I believe that ALL are called (or led) by the Father, and/or the Son, and/or the Holy Spirit, that there is a spark in every living person that waits to be ignited through personal discernment; discernment for where God would like us to be in relation to having been created. For me that discernment comes from the discovery of Jesus Christ and of clumsily attempting to follow his outline for living. And since the law that Jesus espoused came from the Jewish prophets, his earthly ancestry, I expect he has no difficulty with human beings coming to him through their understanding of the law. For me (perhaps a universalist?) I believe that discernment may lead searchers to listen through their Jewish ears or their Muslim ears, even through their Southern Baptist ears to find what, who, where, and how they are to live their lives and raise their families - oh yeah, again I say - for me discernment begins with trying to be quiet long enough to hear the still, small voice calling, or leading to a better way of life here on earth.
I don't want to diminish the value of a call to those who see it as singly a call to ministry. I only seek to encourage myself and those I know and meet that there is more in our lives than doing good things on earth in order to receive the ultimate prize in death. I believe that God (while not micro-managing us) calls us repeatedly to realize the fullness of salvation while we are still kickin' and breathin' and knowin' that this life we live IS a call and that we should do our best to recognize and live into that call to the best of our ability.
The mystery of God's presence in my life is more evident than just receiving "yes answers" to all my prayers for growth, guidance and right living. Believing that God continues to call me throughout my life on earth, I hope to make discernment an integral part of my life. And choosing a quote from a commenter on this subject - "Does any of this make sense?" I welcome your responses!!! It's so much more fun sharing a topic rather than plowing through it one one's own.
