Ah, missions conference time! I remember the zealous comments on the elevator descending from the heavenly dwellings of Colby 19. “I’m ready to go!” or “Send me God!” Although I was a missions major, I responded to the zeal with more questions than readiness. Where was God calling me to serve? What exactly would I be doing in the future. Most significantly, how would I know?
I heard
testimonies of people who talked about their “call” into missions, or their
“call” into ministry, and they always seemed so sure about God’s direction for
their lives. But how did they know?
Sure, the basics were in the Bible, and revealed Word talked about salvation,
sanctification, service, submission and suffering. Got that. But where, when,
how and with whom? Somehow all the real Christians seemed to have that figured
out.
It has been
a few years since I attended the school that D.L. Moody founded. I can honestly
say that my years at MBI were some of the best years of my life. I would love
to share some stories, but most of the men at Moody do not need ideas of how to
make dorm life any crazier. Instead, I would like to share a bit of perspective
on “the call.”
First of
all, most people that talk with such clarity about “the call” are old. Or at
least older. If anyone under 25 years old talks with astounding clarity about
God’s call for their life, well, they either are in for a rude collision with
reality, or they are bluffing. Why do older Christians talk about “the call?”
Because they’ve lived it, that’s why. Hindsight is 20/20. Older, more mature
Christians can look back and understand seemingly unrelated or even
contradictory life experiences, and see how God was working all of that
together for good, and for guidance. I learned to play the guitar, and then I
met this professor, the broken engagement, the short-term trip, and WHALAH!
Twenty years later I’ve planted a couple of churches in Mexico City.
But when
you are in the process of decision-making, it’s not that clear. Is it? God says
in Psalms that his word is a lamp to our feet, but that was back in the day
before flashlights and batteries. No slipping out your cell phone for a little
extra illumination. People used candles, lanterns and torches back then.
Candles flicker. Sometimes you have to take a step or two in the dark. Almost a
good definition of what faith is.
A few departing
thoughts. First of all, God loves you. Please believe that. He desires the
absolute best for you. In a very real sense, if you follow Jesus, you cannot go
wrong. This is not to say that life will be easy, fun or even make sense all of
the time…but it will be solid, eternally productive and useful. It will be glorious!
Second,
take risks. Life in the Spirit makes you…invincible!
Don’t live a virtual life waiting for the next opportunity to update your
online game; take the truth that gives you hope and the joy that comes from
knowing God to a dark world. Jesus is light, and darkness cannot stand against
even the weakest light. God rewards faith, indeed it is impossible to please
him without it.
Third, do
it with the church. Older generations need you, but you need them more. You
will find your calling in the context of relationships with your (spiritual)
family members. You will hear Christ whispering to you through the timely
council of God’s sons and daughters. Pay attention.
I’ve never
heard anyone tell me that after genuinely seeking God’s face in prayer,
soliciting godly counsel and fasting that…OH NO, I MADE A TERRIBLE DECISION!
No, what you always hear is that God takes the believer from one crossroads to
the next, making something beautiful of our lives. The call will become
clearer, but if there were no mystery to it, we would not need to walk by
faith. What fun is that?
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