How to answer the call of God
How to answer God’s call
One of the number one questions I get as a pastor is “what is God’s will for my life?”. It is a great question and one we should all be asking. It is God’s purpose for us to seek and do His will. Let me say that again in a different way, God has created us for the purpose of knowing Him and following Him. Jesus said “follow me”. We should all want to know what God has called us to do.
If God created us for a purpose and our purpose is to follow Him, then why do so many people not know what God’s will is for their life? This is a logical question to ask. Should God’s will be a mystery?
I think we have over-complicated the idea of following God’s will. We read about the great people in the Bible and their miraculous calling.
Moses and the Burning Bush.
Abraham being shown the stars in the sky.
David having a prophet pick him out of a lineup.
Jesus disciples who left everything and followed Him.
Paul on the road to Damascus.
We desire this great calling event to confirm God’s call on our life. All of these events and all other callings have one major thing in common. The one thing that all callings have in common is that God gives a command or a word through something or somebody to the person that He is calling. The common thread is that all of the people who answered the call of God believed the Word God and obeyed.
Abraham believed God and it was counted to him as righteousness
Moses, after telling God no multiple times, went to Pharaoh.
David took on Goliath and became a great king.
Jesus disciples followed Him even when it cost most of them their lives.
Paul became possibly the greatest missionary ever.
What made all of these callings great? They all believed God and took the first step.
Abraham had to pack up and leave not knowing where he was going to.
Moses had to face the mightiest ruler in the world at that time.
David took on Goliath.
the Disciples left everything and followed Him.
Paul lost everything to follow Jesus.
Their faith in God’s word is evident by them taking the first step.
Now lets get back to us. Our faith has to be strong enough to trust God to take the first step. We may not know where the first step will lead us to. We may not even be able to see where the second step is until we take the first step.
So how do we know God’s will for our life? God has already spoken to us about what His will is for our life. Our step 1 is laid out in front of us. Are we willing to take the first step. Are we willing to believe God and take that first step?
The simple will of God for us is this.
Matthew 22:37-40 ESV - [37] And he said to him, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. [38] This is the great and first commandment. [39] And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. [40] On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets."
Step 1 is to love God
Step 2 is to love people
In all of these examples of God calling people it starts with us knowing and loving God more. Step 1 for us is to love God. We love God by knowing Him more and understanding His grace. We love God more when we understand the cross. God has spoken and it is a love letter to us. God’s word is a story of God pursuing us.
God will not reveal a grand calling for our life unless we are completing step 1. When we love God He will freely show us His will for our life.
Here is God’s will for your life.
#1 - Love God
#2 - Love people
Take the first step. Hear the words of God and take a step. Read God’s word and obey what it says.
We want God to reveal His long range plan for us and then we can decide whether to follow or not. God wants to reveal the first step and not the second to see if you are willing to follow. God desires for us to be willing to take the 1st step not the 3rd or the 50th.
Answer the call today like Isaiah did.
Isaiah 6:8 ESV - [8] And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, "Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?" Then I said, "Here I am! Send me."
Lord, I do not know where You are calling me to specifically but here I am, send me. I am willing to take the first step. I want to know You more and I want You lead my life. I want to love the people You love. Help me to be strong enough to take this first step. Help me to be strong enough to answer the call.