The Call

Romans 1:1 "Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God"

The Call of God is an interesting and mysterious thing. Certainly there is a call to everyone that has responded to the inner working of the Holy Spirit to receive Jesus as Lord and follow him in growing discipleship and service.   But then, as Paul says in this verse, there is another Call for those whom the Lord sets aside for a lifetime of service to Him and His Gospel.  Paul says that he first and foremost is a servant of Christ Jesus. The Call of God begins and ends here.  It is the alpha and omega of the Call of God.  You start here and you should never go outside the parameters of being a servant of Jesus.  Then Paul gives some specifics of his call to being an apostle, a sent out one.  Then he tells us that he was set apart for the gospel of God.  Truly called people can never get away from a genuine call of God.  Some have chosen ministry as a profession and didn't finish the race.  You can't call yourself nor can others call you.  It is something that comes from a covenant call from the Lord to the individual.  We have often said that the thing that happens at a public ordination service is very distinct from the Call.  An ordination service is simply the authorities of the church recognizing and legitimizing the Call of God before man.  I'm certain some have been ordained by man that were never called by God.  Those individuals then try to walk in a grace that they do not have.  Time reveals the true Call of God from the call of man.  Simple desire or determination cannot endure the call of God without the grace of God.  The weight of the call is too great.  As I said earlier there is something about the Call of God.  It is difficult to explain but when you receive it, you know it and it ruins you for the same life pursuits of others.  

There is a great cost that comes with the Call. One of the greatest costs of the Call is the misunderstanding of those without it.  No one truly understands the cost of the Call except others who are under the burden of the Call.  I had worked with many who thought they understood but they can only fathom a portion of understanding the Call.  I knew a businessman once who had an employee that had the Call.  He told me that the employee didn't have what it takes to be successful.  I said, he may not have what it takes to be successful in your business but his Call and grace is outside of your business.  You may need to release him to find his true place.  The businessman didn't understand because he could only understand within his grace and gift of business although he was a deeply spiritual man.  The natural eye doesn't value the Call of God.  The natural eye values heroes in sports, business, wealth and fame.  You don't find many Called men and women of God on the Biography Channel. Even when we see servants of God in tv and movies they are usually portrayed in a bad light. That is all a part of walking in the Call and taking up your cross and following Jesus and His role model of the Servant. 

But there is some good news here. With the Call there is not only the cost, but there is also a Crown.  There are distinct rewards the Called enjoy.  There are outward rewards but more importantly there are inward rewards.  No servant of Jesus has ever enjoyed anything more than the sweet, quiet inward words of the Master saying, "well done good and faithful servant."  The Great Chinese Church leader Watchman Knee, who spent 20 years in prison for his faith, started as a brilliant honor student at Seminary.  He showed great promise of a brilliant future. He chose to go to the countryside and serve people and build small home churches in the rural areas. Years later he visited his old seminary and went to lunch with an old professor.  Knee was tired and his clothes were worn from his hard life. The professor looked at him and said, “I thought you would amount to more than this.”  Watchman Knee said he felt the favor and glory of God like he had never felt it before at that moment. The rewards of the Called are many.  The next time your pastor or another Called servant leader seems overly burdened pray for them.  But then, pray for them often even if they seem fine.  The burden of their Call is great.  Don't try to see it our understand it, just pray.  

Hebrews 13:17 "Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you.