Walk in God’s Calling (Our Spiritual Walk #5)
I Corinthians 7:17
INTRODUCTION:
Today we’re going to talk about walking in our calling – from Paul’s instructions in 1 Corinthians 7:17 "As God has distributed to every man, as the Lord has called every one, so let him walk. And so ordain in all churches." (NKJV)
Everyone has a calling from God. These instructions were given to everyone in all the churches! We’re going to talk today about how to recognize God’s calling in our lives and then how to Walk in that Calling.
1. Recognize your calling
To help with recognizing your calling, I want to contrast two callings in the Bible: Isaiah and Jonah. Some Christians have a calling that is similar to the story of Jonah in the Bible. God called them, but they rebelled and tried to go the other way. They tried to run away from God’s calling, but God kept pursuing them until they finally surrendered their own will to God and decided to obey His call on their lives.
Some folks even seem to imply that if you don’t have a story like Jonah, where you fought against God’s call until you finally gave in, then you don’t have a genuine Calling.
But that’s not how I see it. You see, there’s more than one kind of calling in the Bible --- and I believe God’s call is custom made for each person.
In my case, I think my calling is more like the calling of Isaiah. Isaiah was a willing volunteer. Isaiah 6:8 Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?” And I said, “Here am I. Send me!”
You see, I never went through a season of rebellion where I tried to run from God. I really don’t have a dramatic conversion story to tell. I can’t tell you all about my former days as a dope smoking, Harley riding member of a motorcycle gang. I didn’t spend the ‘60’s in a hippy commune; didn’t run away from home; didn’t drop out of high school; never joined a rock band. No one’s going to make a movie about my thrilling conversion story!
Quite the contrary! Some of my earliest memories are of crawling under the church pews with my brother, Karl, while my parents sang at choir practice at church (Millcreek Church of Christ in Ohio). I remember enjoying cool aid and cookies at Vacation Bible School. (in the good old days before we went to serving healthy stuff)
I always loved singing the songs at church --- even though, sometimes I misunderstood what we were singing about. For example, I never figured out why we sang songs about my friend Stanley (Stanley, Stanley, Stanley on the promises of Christ my Savior). I can remember a laundry song we sang (Bringing in the Sheets, Bringing in the sheets, We shall come rejoicing, bringing in the sheets) The truth is that I loved everything about church since I was a kid.
A lot of you are giving this same gift to your kids or grand-kids. There’s nothing better than growing up as part of a loving church family. And all of you are giving that experience to the children and teenagers that you bring here to our church.
By the time I was a teenager, we had moved to Arizona. I got to serve in various ways at Scottsdale Christian Church --- including teaching pre-schoolers, working with the youth program, singing and playing the guitar at church, and helping out at church camp. The truth was that my favorite part of my week was time spent at church.
When it came time to figure out what my career path might be, I had curiosity about several vocations: police officer, radio disk jockey, pharmacist, veterinarian, but the idea that seemed to trump everything else was the possibility of ministry.
Back in those days, at church camp, along with the call to become a Christian and be baptized, or to rededicate your life to Christ, there was also a call for those willing to become “life recruits.” On one of those occasions I went forward and joined a small group of other “life recruits.” In my mind, the die was cast and the course that lay ahead was settled. I was going to become a minister. And that’s what I did.
Of course, I met some opposition … and had times when it seemed like my hopes wouldn’t work out … but all in all you could say that my story isn’t very dramatic. There were no voices from heaven. And, except for the day I went forward at church camp, there weren’t any big decisive moments. For me, though, that decision at camp was my Isaiah moment . And after 43 years in ministry, I’m glad I told the Lord, “Here am I, Lord, send me.”
Well, if I had an ISAIAH kind of calling--- then you could say that my brother, Karl, definitely had a JONAH kind of calling. You remember I mentioned one of my earliest memories was crawling under the church pews with Karl. Karl is 4 years younger than me. We grew up in the same family, going to the same churches … but Karl had his own road to travel. His response to God’s call was the opposite of mine … to the point that when he turned 18, he asked Dad, “Now that I’m 18, can I make my own decisions about going to church?”
Dad gave him permission, and Karl walked away from church for the next 40 years. His "whale story" came along about 40 years later … it was a whale named DUI. When Karl got his 3rd DUI, the Judge gave him a choice of Rehab or Jail. By the grace of God, that whale delivered Karl to Teen Challenge in Washington State.
The next time I saw Karl was a year later. We arrived in Scottsdale for Thanksgiving… the very day Karl came back home. I asked Karl, “What do you plan to do now?” and he said, “I’m going to pray about it, and then I’ll do whatever the Holy Spirit tells me to do.” Karl is definitely a new man … a man who has answered God’s calling.
So, think about your calling. What kind of calling have you had from the Lord? What kind of response have you given? Is your story more like Jonah … or more like Isaiah … or somewhere in between?
• If your story is (like Karl) similar to Jonah, then you have a testimony that shows the life-changing power of God that transformed you.
• If your story is an Isaiah story (like mine) then you have a testimony that shows that God’s ways are true. Your testimony is that following God’s calling is a great blessing in every stage of life --- for children, youth, young adults, mid-life, and old age God’s ways always work!
1 Corinthians 7:17 says, as the Lord has called every one, so let him walk. EVERYONE has received a call from the Lord, Whatever kind of calling you’ve received; your job is to Walk in that calling.
2. Walk in your calling
You know, the Bible has a lot to say about our spiritual walk. In fact, I wrote a book entitled, "Our Spiritual Walk" that tells about the New Testament teaching about how we are to walk as Christian so we can grow up and be fruitful followers of Christ.
Today we’re focused on chapter16 of that book where we are told to Walk in God’s calling. In a practical way, what does it mean to walk in God’s calling?
When the Apostle Paul wrote the first Corinthian letter, believers in Corinth were experiencing troubles and tribulations. These first century Christians expected Christ to return very soon, and in light of that, Paul encouraged the Corinthian Christians to walk according to their calling from the Lord, without trying to escape their current circumstances. He advised those who were single to stay single, and those who were married to stay married. As for those who were slaves, he advised them to remain in that position.
Paul’s assumption was that time was short and opportunities to make major changes weren't all that likely to come along. Even though Christ’s return was not according to the timetable they had in mind, we can still see wisdom in Paul’s advice to walk with the Lord in their existing circumstances.
In Philippians 4:11-13 Paul wrote, I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength.
This is the kind of attitude we need to have while we Walk in God’s calling. Most of us probably have some circumstances we’re not happy with. Maybe it’s problems at work or pressures at home or health complications or financial worries --- and it’s tempting to think that we need to get away from those problems before we can Walk in God’s Calling. But it’s a big mistake to try to run away from troubles. It’s better to learn to work THROUGH the troubles and to do it with the right attitude.
The secret to contentment in all circumstances is to just KEEP WALKING in the calling we have received from our Lord. Remember that CALLING is not just related to people who become preachers, missionaries, Christian College professors or other full time Christian workers. All of us are called, and each one of us can walk in our calling from God. We don’t necessarily have to make big changes in order to follow God’s call. No matter where you live; no matter what your circumstance; you can walk in your calling.
Ephesians 2:10 says, For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. The word that’s translated “handiwork” could also be translated “poem.” For we are God’s POEM, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. I love that thought, that God is writing a unique poem with every life.
It’s good to remind ourselves that God has planned out specific good works in advance for us to do in His behalf. We need to be radically available for anything God might want to do in and through us. I like the phrase "radically available."
I try to think about it on days when my “to do” list gets interrupted by things I never planned. Sometimes these are divine interruptions. What we think of as interruptions are often the opportunities for good works! And in God’s eyes, those may be the most important moments in your day!
Keep in mind that every day, God may have something planned that is entirely outside your own plans. Sometimes our own plans --- if we’re honest --- are meant to build up our own ego or to help us have a good time. The thing about God’s calling for us is just that: it is His calling, His plan, His timing, and His way.
Our part is to be radically available every day for God’s divine interruptions! Walking in God’s calling means we let go of our own agenda and let God call the shots.
CONCLUSION:
How would your day look different if you began to live each day according to your calling from the Lord? Would your attitude be different? Would your actions change?
Walking in Your Calling from the Lord will always start with the instructions from Romans 12:1: Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.
Are you willing --- every day --- to offer the parts of your body as a living sacrifice --- so that you can be the eyes, ears, hands, mouth, and feet of Jesus for someone in your path?
Are you willing to add the words “Divine Interruption” into each day’s “to do” list? Will you walk daily in God’s calling?
I guarantee, this way of walking will revolutionize your boring days and turn mediocre living into an adventure with God. This week, see for yourself what it means to walk in God’s calling.
