I've Got My Calling

Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God Romans 1:1.

Paul, called to be an apostle of Jesus Christ, through the will of God, …, ...

1 Corinthians 1:1.

Paul often introduced himself as an apostle of Jesus Christ. In all of his communication and in his ministry work, one thing was clear; God called him. A man or an affiliation did not call him.  He was not sent forth by a personal need. He did not run 30 years because he wanted to have some fun. He didn’t preach because he was a friend of Barnabas or because the churches paid him well. It wasn’t his parents, the Sanhedrin or the bible college. He preached for one reason and one reason only. “God called him”.

Here Paul points out that God saved him first, then called him. Paul makes this clear because your calling is the one basic element that helps to keep you in the race for the long run. Getting saved is the easy part. But finding and fulfilling our calling is essential to a life of stability and purpose.

The end seems so far, but the calling we receive from God helps us to take one more step closer to our spiritual destiny. It brings us closer to Jesus Christ, and the closer we get to Jesus, the further we get from sin, fear and bondage.

Before the High Priest could enter the Holy of Holies, he had to wash himself and follow very strict rules of purification. He had to get close to God. Once he got in the presence of God and made intercession for the people, all the preparation seemed minor. Why? Because he was able to do what God called him to do. Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us Hebrews 12:1.

You may not be called to preach as was Paul, but you are just as called. You are called to be His witnesses; to be a city that is set on a hill; to be light shining in the darkness. To fulfill our calling is our reasonable service and a great privilege. It is God’s distinct calling that will make a brilliant physician leave a thriving practice to go to a remote jungle village, isolated from modern comfort, to take care of poverty stricken people that could never repay him/her.

Moses did not call himself. God called him. And after God called him, Moses could not get uncalled. He could not get uncalled, take a break, and pick his calling back up. That calling was an inseparable part of his life.

Amos was a farmer and a fruit picker. No one in his family had ever served God. When people asked him what he was doing, he responded, “God told me to go prophesy”. He knew in his heart that God called him to do what he was doing. Therefore, in spite of the controversy, he kept on going.

Who I am today and all that I am becoming is a direct result of my calling. The decisions that I make and how I behave is the result of the passion I have for my calling. I respect it so much, that nothing is worth taking a risk of losing it.

No matter what weakness I perceive in myself, I know that God will be with me. I have the assurance that He will equip me to succeed in what He has given me to do.

I don’t have the building that I desire to have right now, but I have my calling. There were many who took away their support, but they could not take away my calling. I have been forsaken, criticized, lied on and cursed. Yet I continue to prevail because I’ve got my calling. It’s worth more than anything else.

Timothy was young and inexperienced. He was so weak and shy that he would be a safe pick to fail. But God called him to preach. Paul told him, “Don’t let anyone despise your youth”. Why not? Because he was called by God.

Have you ever felt inadequate, or have you discouraged yourself from pursuing a job because of a lack of experience? Are you struggling to maintain a standard in your life? You have a calling, and if that’s all you have, you can rise up and strengthen yourself.

What is a calling? It is a burden that never leaves you. I knew that I would minister the Word; it wasn’t a verbal voice, but an inward knowing. I knew it the moment the Holy Ghost entered my heart. That burden has never left me.

In the same way, I knew that I would marry my wife Lindia. I knew it just as clear as the noonday sun. You may even say that I was called to marry, love and cherish her. And to this day, that knowing is just as clear as the first day I heard it.

Because of my calling, I cannot be like other people. I am not free to do many activities that others may be free to do. I’ve got a calling on my life and I can’t shake the burden.

This calling is inspiring. It’s not hard to forsake other things. It is like the man that found the pearl of great price. He went and sold everything he had to buy it. There is always that inward confirmation that says, “keep going, don’t stop”. Somehow we know that it will all work out all right.

When God calls us, our lives will beam the fruit of that call. We have the inward witness; therefore difficult times don’t stop us. Our calling is deeply personal. It is mine and I want to make it count. No one else can do this for me. If I get financial help, then that’s great. If not, then I’ll do as much as I can as best I can for as long as I can. Salaries and benefits can’t compel and hard times can’t stop me. Faithful is he that calleth you, who will also do it 1 Thessalonians 5:24.

I want to please God. That’s my passion. Has God called you? Does your life reflect it” Can He count on you to do it? It’s your calling; therefore it’s your call.

By: Edmund Brown