Thought for October 24, 2024

•  1648: Peace of Westphalia ends the 30 Years War--equal rights for Catholics and Protestants
• 1818: Feliz Mendelssohn's first public concert--age 9
• 1861: First transcontinental telegraph--San Francisco to Washington DC
• 1929: Black Thursday begins stock market crash
• 1939: Nylon stockings go on sale
• 1946: Camera attached to V-2 rocket makes first pictures of earth from outer space
• 2008: Bloody Friday as stock market loses 10%
• Born: Antoine van Leeuwenhoek, Sarah Hale ["Mary Had a Little Lamb"], Belva Ann Lockwood [first woman to argue before the Supreme Court], Melvin Purvs, YA Title, The Big Bopper, F Murray Abraham, Kevin Kline, Ian Baker Finch, Drake, Charlie White [Olympic and World Champion Ice Dancer]
• Died: Jane Seymour [wife of Henry VIII], Tycho Brahe, Daniel Webster, Louis Renault, Jackie Robinson, Raul Julia, Rosa Parks, Maureen O'Hara, Fats Domino

Thought:

If I looked at your Bible, could I tell which chapter or verses you referred to the most? Are there a few pages that are much more worn than the rest of the book. If you looked at mine, Romans would be that place. Pages taped together, pages falling out, text heavy with notes and marks, pages dirty from handling. Reading again this morning 1:1-7. 

I am focused on the words "you also are the called of Jesus Christ." [1:6] Paul begins his letter by saying that he was called and set apart for the gospel of God. then he says that we are also called. This made me think about what it means to be called by God. Certainly, we are called into a relationship with Christ through salvation. Future secure. But is that all there is to being called. A favorite closing hymn of my grandfather was "Jesus is Calling" by Fanny Crosby. "Jesus is tenderly calling thee home . . .Jesus is calling the weary to rest . . .Jesus is waiting O come to Him now . . . Jesus is pleading, O list to His voice . . . Calling today, Calling today, Jesus is calling, is tenderly calling today." 

Notice what Paul says--called as an apostle and set apart for the gospel. We think of the original 12 apostles called by Jesus and Paul as the apostle called on the road to Damascus. The dictionary defines an apostle as one sent on a mission. So if we are called of Jesus, we are called to a mission. We get the mission from the great commission. But I think we also have special callings that are given to us for the scripture says some are called as teachers, evangelists, and to other areas of service and equipped for that service. In secular life, all of us have seen people trying to do a job they were not called and equipped to do. I counseled several young lawyers who were trying to practice law in one area when it was clear that their calling was elsewhere in law or perhaps not in law at all. I think all of us have accepted positions or assignments and found we were just not called for that. Usually the problem arises because I listen to someone else or fail to listen to God. 

But if Paul is correct, and I think he is, we are all called by Jesus not only to salvation, but also to service. Take a look at verse 5. With the calling, Jesus provides the grace to be obedient through faith. Jesus pours out His unmerited favor--His power, His strength, His wisdom--so that we can by faith be obedient to His call and His commands. 

This morning I am thinking about God's calling for today--what has God called me to do today? Lord, show me. Then may I have the faith and trust in Your grace and sufficiency to obey your calling. I cannot do it in my strength--help me trust in Yours. 

Blessings

Larry