Calling. We use that word in a lot of different ways. The telephone rings and we wonder, "who is calling?" We speak of God selecting a person for a specific task and that too is a "calling". "Calling" can also speak to our purpose.

Have you ever asked, "What is God's Calling for New Work Fellowship?" Or ... "What is God's Calling for you in and through New Work Fellowship?"

To prepare for our thoughts on calling, let me ask you to read, Genesis 12:1-7. The following are a few thoughts to pay attention to as you read:

• In Genesis 11 you have the scattering of all people due to sin. (Actually, it is the culmination of the "scattering" effect of sin. Adam and Eve were separated from Eden. Cain and Abel were separated from family, Noah was separated from all the earth. And finally in Babel, the people are scattered.)
• This is always the effect of sin, brokenness and scattering.
   
• But in Genesis 12 we read of Abraham's calling. Genesis 12 is the beginning work of God "undoing" the scattering effect of sin by God "calling" people back to Himself. And that "calling to Abraham" wasn't just to Abraham. Remember, he was to be a "blessing" to all people.
   
• The Calling of Abraham also came with incredible promises: promises about land, a family, and purpose. God is into GREAT blessings!
   
• And note that his "calling to promised blessings" also required obedience, "So Abram left, as the Lord had told him..."

Keep reading through this passage and see how much you can find in it.

But now, let me share a disturbing thought about calling ...

Remember that incredible vision that God gave to Abraham? Remember the promises? Land, Family, a Purpose for his life! Those are pretty great promises. Prepare to be disturbed ...

Look again at the bible passage. (You do have your bible open, right?)

• Notice that God's promises for Abraham are articulated in verse 1.
• Notice now the slight shift in the promise that comes in verse 7. What was the shift? The land is going to Abraham's offspring!

God keeps his promises. There is no doubt about that! But when did Abraham finally get a piece of the land? Now turn in your bible's to Genesis 22.

Do you see what happened?

• God kept his promise,
• Abraham got his land.
• But it may not have been exactly what Abraham had thought it would be at the beginning. He bought grave plots for himself and Sarah. (Not exactly all the splash and glory that he might have hoped for at his "calling", huh?)

We have to remember that God's vision/calling is just that - God's. He calls us and invites us to join Him in the journey, but the vision/calling remains the property of God. Now, the truth is Abraham had an important role to play. He had a part of that God-given vision that was his to complete. And all of those who came after him; needed him to lead the way.

• The blessings came.
• The land came.
• The family came.
• But it cost Abraham dearly.

The questions for us are these:

 

• Are you willing to trust and follow God even when it seems that the promise is not going to be fully realized in your lifetime? (Or on your time-table).
   
• Can you be obedient to the vision even if you are not going to fully drink in and experience the fullness of all the rewards? (Or, in other words-when you realize it is not all about you?)
   
• Can you be faithful even when the benefits of your life of faith may not produce full fruit until the next generation?

Those are tough questions. But then a "Calling" is tough too! And it is all a part of the hard work of the gathering mission that began with Abraham and now has been handed to you. So what will you do today to push back the scattering/brokenness of sin and to come to the calling of God to gather back the redeemed?

Who are you praying for, that God might use you to gather them in? Who are you inviting in, that they might be gathered home? Are you calling? It really is a verb.