Responding To The Call

             A friend of mine attends a church where there are many pastors.  The church isn’t huge, but there are men there who feel called by God to minister!  What’s really encouraging is watching these young men in action.  While there is a Senior Pastor, each of the others participate in various duties with a humble heart and excited demeanor!  They love The Lord and want to serve!

            On the other hand, I heard a conversation some time ago where one friend visited another friend’s church.  “What do you think of it,” one asked the other.

            “I like it,” she said, “but I see a lot of politics there.  I don’t know that I could make that my home church.”

            It took me a long time to understand that conversation, but during a sermon some weeks ago, I heard a pastor give a unique definition that has stuck with me and I see it as reasonably accurate!  Politics:  Poli means many and ticks……  well, they are blood sucking creatures!  We see this in our government and in some of our churches. 

            There are those who choose to use others to gain status and control.  Sometimes it is done subtly, other times not so much.  Congregations have split because of it!  Certainly our country has split many times over because of politics!  Sadly, in a church congregation when politics play a part it has nothing to do with the call from Christ to “minister.”  It’s more about self-advancement and self-glory rather than God getting the glory! 

            When we are called to do something by God, it is reason to celebrate!  People spend years, even a lifetime trying to figure out what they were sent to Earth for!  We’re each given a gift, but when we don’t recognize what God’s given us and how to use that gift for the specific mission or “calling” He has planned, we miss out on blessings and a way to glorify God!

            Jonah was given a call to go to Ninevah.  He was not pleased about the call and tried to run from the Lord.  He boarded a ship headed the opposite direction and when the storm was at it’s peak, was thrown overboard and subsequently swallowed by a great whale.  After repentance and three days in the belly of the fish, he was spewed out.  Jonah then followed the Lords direction and ministered to Ninevah.

            We all face, doubts, fears and failure like Jonah.  But when we accept the challenge before us with excitement, enthusiasm, and with a love for the Lord, we can conquer our fears because we know God is with us!  We can experience God’s blessing because we are doing His will and not our own since it isn’t about “us;” it’s about God!  It’s about doing His work we were called to do rather than self- advancement or politics!  It’s about being part of God’s family and doing the job God wants us to do.

            So I challenge you to reflect on your involvement with your church or any ministry with which you are involved.  Are you doing it to glorify God or are you “politicking?”  Are you using your “ministry” to advance your own agenda?  Or are you fearful and missing out on blessings entirely, by not following the call you’ve been given by The Lord? Service to Him is worth thinking about!