What Is “God’s Call”?

What Is God’s call or the calling of God and how are we to respond?

Paul tells us that the gifts and calling of God are without repentance, (Romans 11:29) that not many who are somebodies in this world are called (1Corinthians 1:26) —or at least don’t recognize that they are called. Paul goes on to say that we are to abide in the same calling wherein we were called (1Corinthians 7:20), that this calling is a holy calling and was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began and not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace (2Timothy 1:9). And Peter admonishes us to give diligence to make our calling sure (2Peter 1:10).

We are all familiar with Jeremiah’s call:

Jeremiah 1:4-5 Then the word of the Lord came unto me, saying, Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.

Jeremiah responded, Ah, Lord God! behold, I cannot speak: for I am a child. (Jeremiah 1:6).

We are likewise familiar with Moses’ call and his response, Who am I, that I should go unto Pharaoh, and that I should bring forth the children of Israel out of Egypt? (Exodus 3:11). He further responded, I am not eloquent … but I am slow of speech, and of a slow tongue (Exodus 4:10). And we read earlier that Moses hid his face; for he was afraid to look upon God (Exodus 3:6).

Then we come to Mary, whose response was, Be it unto me according to Thy Word (Luke 1:38), which is the only legitimate response to hearing the call. Since God is no respecter of persons (Acts 10:34), we know that we are all called; but we are not all chosen (Matthew 22:14) because we do not respond as Mary did when we hear the call.

God expresses as individual form for a specific purpose —His purpose. You are not here by accident.

We are all here for the same purpose as Mary —to give birth to the Christ so that God may express Himself through us. We are all to come to the place that Paul came to: It is no longer I who live; it is Christ living as me (Galatians 2:20). That was the result of Paul responding to his call by responding as Mary did, Be it done unto me according to Thy Word.

All of us do hear the call, but we may not be aware that that is what we are hearing. The call is that secret desire that we all have, the desire that is bigger than we are, the desire to do or be something that we know we cannot do or be; we haven’t the means or capacity. Precisely. If you could do it in your humanity, you wouldn’t need God. No, God performs that which is given you to do (Job 23:14) —that which you are called to do, that for which God expressed Himself as your individual form. That desire which never leaves you, no matter how often you push it aside or try to suppress it, is the urge of Spirit, asking for a body —your body— in which to express Itself. Will you consent to be that body?

Until you get to the place where you know, as Jesus did, that of mine own self I can do nothing (John 5:30), you are not even ready to respond to the call. You must know, as Mary did, that what God is calling you to be or do is impossible. But you must also know that with God all things are possible (Matthew 19:26).

Don’t worry about the time factor. Time is a man-made concept that means nothing to God. Remember, Moses was 80 years old when he responded to the call. We know he was called from the time he was born and his mother saved him by putting him in that basket (Exodus 2:1-4). We know he heard the call at least 40 years earlier when he killed the Egyptian in an attempt to free his people from bondage (Exodus 2:12). But it took him that last 40 years to get Moses out of the way so that God could perform that which was given him to do. We know, too, that Moses never got all the way out of the way. He took the Israelites out of bondage but never made it all the way into the Promised Land —or the Kingdom of Heaven, symbolically speaking (Numbers 20:8-13; Deuteronomy 32:48-52).

Paul had at least 14 years of preparation before he was able to let Christ perform that which was given him to do (Galatians 2:1). So take heart, your years of preparation are not wasted. They were necessary to get your personal self out of the way.

I confess that this contemplation was written for myself —as are all of them, really. I have been making excuses to God for more years than I like to admit for not going public with my writing. I have said, What can I possibly write that hasn’t already been written? and Why put forth that effort when no one is going to read it anyway? But now I have made the commitment to write and post whatever God gives me, even if I am the only one who ever reads it. I do believe that God has revealed to me that writing is my calling and that the results of my writing are entirely in God’s hands.

I am keenly aware that in myself I cannot write —for I’ve tried that (see The Name “Dauthor“. But when I just surrender myself to the Spirit of God inside, I find that He writes through me and it is easy and fun. Like Mary, I am letting it be done unto me according to God’s Word; I am giving Him a body to write through.

And I encourage you, my readers, to do what I have done. Will you give Him a body to perhaps start a business, be a peacemaker in your family, become a foster parent, or just be a light in the darkness around you? Let go of all your excuses, get the personal desire for success out of the way, and begin to do what God has put into your heart to do —no matter how little or how big. It may not seem like it is anything spiritual but, whatever your desire, in its purest form it is put there by God and will give both you and God pleasure as you allow God to fulfill that desire through the body that you are presenting to Him as a living sacrifice.

Romans 12:1-2  I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

In doing what God has put in your heart to do, you will indeed prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God for your life. And you will be responding to God’s call just as Mary did, Be it unto me according to thy Word.