What I’m Thinking: Called by God
I’m thinking about being chosen by God this week. What is that all about?
Here’s a transcript:
I’m thinking this week about the very end of the text in Isaiah (Isaiah 49:1-7), in which God makes it clear that it is God who has chosen…
Well, who? Isaiah, or the people of Israel – it’s not entirely clear in the text itself.
So what’s got me thinking is the notion of God choosing any of us.
In the gospel text – it’s part of the gospel of John (John 1:29-42) – it’s when Jesus first meets some of those who would become his disciples. And it’s a very simple and even a little strange kind of encounter.
Well, there are all sorts of problems with the notion of call. I mean, after all, if I can be called into the ministry then perhaps somebody else can be called into poverty. I don’t really want to go to that kind of a place, and I hope you don’t either.
But I really do believe that God has a purpose for each of us. It’s not necessarily a purpose in which we do not share some similarities with others. We’re all called, I believe, to be kind, to be compassionate, to be loving each to another.
But I suspect that there are specific circumstances where it’s me that God needs or where it’s you that God needs in order for something very particular and very wonderful to happen.
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1 Comment
by Gordon bates
On January 12, 2017
Eric: in my Presbyterian process, there were three checks on any claim to be called to do some particular ministry: one’s own talents, qualifications and temperament for the ministry in question; the church of organization or setting within which one would be ministering; and the perspective of the pertinent part of the church that knew one best and had access to to official record of one’s preparation to date for that ministry. Somewhat combersome and not always effective but it did make for the possibility of thorough reflection and some fairly objective assessment.
As for being called to poverty, are you forgetting Francis and Henri Nouen among others?
It’s fun to think your sermons through with you. Pax vobiscum as we say in criminal justice.
Gordon