The Calling of the Lord?

One of the things that used to be completely perplexing to me was what those around me called a calling. It was spoken of in ethereal tones and treated like something that could not quite be understood but you wanted to make sure you got it right and aligned your life with it so you could be right with God. Often there was a warning in the conversation about getting your vocation established correctly and in many cases that I know of people chaffed under things that somehow worked themselves into their thinking and they actually turned away from the thing that they were gifted in to serve in a manner that was forced and mechanical because they somehow thought that the only categories for a “calling” were to be a preacher or a missionary in a foreign land.

Jesus did not teach or demonstrate complexity in answering His call. In fact, His words are very simple and do not have much to do with vocation or defining what a “call” is. He simply said, “Follow Me.” I know that this is sometimes demonstrated in preaching or going to some remote place to serve a people who have never heard, but what about the other 98% of us? We who are called the ‘laity’ in the Church.

I think that there are some things that we have forgotten and/or set aside in regards to the calling of the Lord. The calling of the Lord in our lives is accompanied by gifts which He has created in us and manifestations of the Holy Spirit which flow through those gifts. In Romans 12 the Lord speaks to us about the gifts of prophecy, serving others, teaching, exhortation, giving, leadership, and mercy. I Corinthians 12 starts by speaking of the manifestation of the Holy Spirit in words of wisdom, words of knowledge, gifts of faith and healing, the effecting of miracles, prophecy, discerning of spirits, various kinds of tongues, and the interpretation of tongues. The chapter ends by speaking of appointments by God and there is an implied hierarchy in apostles, prophets, teachers, miracles, gifts of healings, helps, administrations, and various kinds of tongues. There are many theological positions and arguments about these portions of scripture that have divided the Church for centuries which is a very clear indication to me that the Church has completely missed the point and discarded the last sentence in the chapter in which the Apostle Paul introduces “a still more excellent way.” (NASB) The excellence and greatness of Love (see I Corinthians 13).

Sadly, many generations ago there was a subtle change in the assembling of the body of Christ and the Church took on a bureaucratic form of government where preachers and teachers were recognized above the rest. Indeed the rest of the gifts are now held in low regard or completely dismissed depending on your denominational statement of faith or culture of your local gathering AND the whole middle section of I Corinthians 12 has been discarded. For instance, the Pastor who has the gift to preach stands behind the pulpit every Sunday and delivers a sermon and during the Sunday school hour the teachers stand before their smaller audiences and teach, but can you identify the healer in the congregation? How about the miracle worker? When was the last time someone in your church received a word of knowledge from someone else that completely rocked their world and communicated the Word of the Lord in a powerful life changing manner? During this change the term ‘laity’ came into being and everyone who was not ordained by the church or approved to speak or take action settled into the pew where it was easy to watch the actions and listen to the ordained or approved people. This then became comfortable. The comfort became complacency and after a few generations of complacency we struggle to discern the calling of the Lord because only a few can be preachers or teachers, and healing is the job of doctors and pharmaceutical companies, AND if someone performed a miracle it would freak most people out because we would rather see that stuff in movies where wounds heal up before your eyes because the film producer hires those with the talent to create the illusion while we sit safely in the pew insulated from a supernatural interaction with the Almighty God.

So, it is no wonder that we are completely confused when we contemplate the calling of the Lord in our lives. The machinist who God created with the gift of healing can no longer heal because that gifting in the Church isn’t even recognized in most places and the carpenter who gives lavishly isn’t really noticed because that is what they should do anyway, right? Nor can the nurse who is also gifted in discerning spirits operate in her gift because…what is that anyway?

I want to address you as an individual in the body of Christ and challenge you to get out of the pew. I am not saying to leave your church, I am challenging you to hear the calling of the Lord and decide for yourself by seeking (Matthew 6:33) what He wants you to do. Identify, receive, and embrace the gift He has given you and act upon the word that burns in your heart. Those around you may not understand for a while but the Holy Spirit will make up the difference and the body of Christ will be strengthened AND you will know that you are walking in the calling of the Lord in your life. The kingdom of Heaven is at stake here. The kingdom is made visible on earth when we act according to the gift God has given us in the power and leading of the Holy Spirit. We have been snobbish regarding the gifts and manifestations of the Holy Spirit way too long. The calling of the Lord is still the simple words, “Follow me.” Since it is he who calls us, it is He who has prepared us in every way to do it.

His Kid, Your Brother

Ken