Tag: Calling

Know Your Call! Stay in the Right Lane!

MaryAnn Ward 0 Comment Inspirational Blog, Purpose and Calling , , , , , , , , , ,

Perhaps the most difficult thing to discover is the call of God on our lives. Next most difficult is to stay in the right lane of our calling.

Like many vehicles, my car beeps a warning when I veer out of my lane. Why? Because veering off lane creates a dangerous situation for me and everyone else. Of course, if I use the signal indicator before changing lanes, I provide everyone with adequate warning of my intentions.

I’ve lived several decades and made more than a few lane changes in my life. Some changes occurred abruptly — the sudden swerves to avoid danger or navigate a sharp corner. For the most part, however, I perceive these changes a long time in advance, allowing for minor or consistent corrections in choices or shifts in priorities.

As annoying as the warning beeper is in my car, I appreciate the safety feature. I want to know how to stay in the right lane.

The apostle Paul knew his call. He provides an excellent example of how he faithfully stayed in his lane.

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

By God’s Grace

Whatever the call on our lives, we remember that it is all by God’s grace!

“God is faithful, who has called you into fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.”
1 Corinthians 1:9

By God’s grace, He has called each of us to Himself — not so that we could do more for Him, but so that we could be united with Him in fellowship.

He honestly doesn’t need us to do anything. He purely loves us and wants us to know and enjoy an intimate relationship with Him.

But part of our calling to Him does include a calling to serve Him. Those He calls He also equips.

“Just think — you don’t need a thing, you’ve got it all. All God’s gifts are right in front of you as you wait expectantly for our Master Jesus to arrive on the scene for the Finale. And not only that but God himself is right alongside to keep you steady and on track until things are all wrapped up by Jesus. God, who got you started in this spiritual adventure, shares with us the life of his Son and our Master Jesus. He will never give up on you. Never forget that.”
1 Corinthians 1:7-9 MSG

Isn’t that amazing! God makes His call known to us and He helps us to stay in the right lane by keeping us steady and on the right track.

Know Your Call

The Corinthian church experienced more than a few problems. They became known for disputes and disruptions. Paul makes his call clear to them.

“For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel — not with wisdom and eloquence, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power.”
1 Corinthians 1:17

Ministry, and life in general, carry many responsibilities of things that could be done, should be done, or ought to be done. It’s a constant battle to focus on the essentials. We may not feel our calling is significant, but it is. Every act of kindness and everything done out of love has immeasurable impact on those around you. Then that love will flow from them to others and to still others more.

Never underestimate or minimize your call. Own it! Walk in it! Foster it!

God called Paul to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Obedience to the Call

Obedience resembles not just getting into our car but driving it. You will have no opportunity to stay in the right lane while parked in the garage. We use vehicles to take us from one place to another. Obedience turns on the engine, pulls our lives into motion, and moves us into our lane of ministry and service.

Paul placed concentrated effort into extensive learning. Then he walked in the misguided authority of human wisdom and position. The results proved devastating to those whom he imprisoned and murdered for their faith.

After God called and equipped Paul, everything changed. Paul immediately shifted into the right lane.

“My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power. so that your faith might not rest on human wisdom, but on God’s power.”
1 Corinthians 2:4-5

Paul’s pre-Christian influence came through “wise and persuasive words.” But now in obedience to God’s call and the anointing of the Holy Spirit everything flowed through God’s power.

Stay in the Right Lane

Because Paul obeyed God to stay in the right lane, the impact of his life probably comes second only to Jesus Christ. Through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, Paul wrote about twenty-eight percent of the New Testament. He is perhaps the most quoted writer of New Testament scripture.

His in-person preaching reached tens or even hundreds of thousands of people. His writings have turned untold millions to confess their faith in Jesus Christ.

How could one man impact so many people through the centuries?

  • First, Paul received and responded to God’s grace confessing Jesus Christ as Lord.
  • Second, Paul committed himself to full obedience to God’s call.
  • Third, Paul continually demonstrated through his life how to stay in the right lane.

“But we preach Christ crucified … Christ the power of God and wisdom of God.”
1 Corinthians 1:23-24

Prayer

Father God, we receive the grace to know You, the One true God and Savior, Jesus Christ. Thank you for welcoming us into fellowship with You and for calling and equipping us to share the gospel with others.
Whether our sharing takes place in our homes, with friends, in the marketplace, or from behind a pulpit doesn’t matter. We desire to walk out our calling in full obedience. Keep us steady, Lord, and on the right track. Help us to stay in the right lane. May the Holy Spirit “beep” a warning whenever we veer from the path You have called us to walk.
I ask for boldness and faithfulness to love as You have called us to love and to serve as You have called us to serve. Fill us with contentment to stay in the right lane.
And Lord, may our lives become a “demonstration of the Spirit’s power, so that faith might not rest on human wisdom, but on God’s power.”
Amen.

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Becoming — Reaching for Purpose and Meaning

MaryAnn Ward 0 Comment Inspirational Blog, Purpose and Calling , , , , , , ,

Whether we acknowledge it or not, each one of us is reaching for some kind of purpose and meaning behind our existence. We all subconsciously ask, “Why am I here? What am I supposed to be doing with my life?” We all want our lives to matter.

Recently, I had the tremendous privilege of talking with a group of young adults. They are living centre in the age of pursuit. Some attended university. Other entrepreneurs had begun new businesses. Yet others pursued relationships they hoped would lead to life-long commitment and fulfillment.

One of the young men asked me, “Who do you want to be like?” He explained that keeping someone we desired to emulate in our focus would help us change our lives for the better.

I surprised him with me answer. “I want to be like me. No one in all the world carries the potential to be me. So, I aim to be fully me — the idea God had in mind when He first thought of me.”

“Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.”
1 John 3:2

At first glance, my answer sounds arrogant. But two things have incited the greatest transformation in my life. The first is coming to know God more fully. As I grow to know Him and His heart better, even in the smallest ways, my desire increases to live a reflection of who He is. The second pursues to discover the unique creation God had in mind when He formed me.

Knowing God

Human minds will never comprehend the immensity of glorious God. He is too awesome, too wonderful, too magnificent, too glorious … for us to understand. Yet, He desires to be known. He looks for those curious enough to seek Him.

“‘Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom. Let not the might man glory in his might. Nor let the rich man glory in his riches. But let him who glories glory in this. That he understands and knows Me. That I am the LORD, exercising lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness in the earth. For in these I delight,’ says the LORD.”
Jeremiah 9:23-23 NKJV

God makes Himself clearly visible to those hungry to know Him.

“For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made.”
Romans 1:18-20

As we read the Bible, we find these recurring words, “So you may know that I am your God.” I brought you out of bondage so that you may know. It was Me who healed your bodies so that you may know. I gave you this land and established you so that you may know. I continuously make Myself known to you. He is a mystery. Yet, He reveals Himself to us.

The First Steps

So, the first steps come through an awareness of knowing God’s character through His love, faithfulness, grace, and goodness. God awareness inspires so to reach for genuine purpose and meaning. All true purpose and meaning are found in Christ.

We were created in God’s image for divine purpose and meaning. The wise teacher of Ecclesiastes concluded that all the opulence the world could offer stands meaningless in comparison.

“‘Meaningless! Meaningless!’
says the Teacher.
‘Everything is meaningless!’ …
Now all has been heard;
hear is the conclusion of the matter:
Fear God and keep his commandments,
for this is the duty of all mankind.”
Ecclesiastes 12:8,13

Are there powerful and successful men and women worth emulating? Yes, of course. Paul invited others, to “imitate me, as I imitate Christ” (1 Corinthians 11:1). But the greatest One to emulate and imitate is God Himself. As we do, we will find ultimate purpose and calling.

The Second Steps

To walk out the second steps in fulfilling our purpose and calling requires us to discover God’s personal plan for our lives — our God-given identity. However, we can’t turn to biblical reference points for this.

Of all the billions of people only you can be you. You, and I, owe it to God and to each other to be that one. God had his best idea when He created you. No matter how far off that path you may feel you have wandered, you will forever be God’s good idea.

So, who am I? Who are you? Not the present you or me! But the you and me God had in mind before the creation of the world. And yes, He thought of us even then!

“For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”
Ephesians 2:10

As we walk in relationship with Christ and in obedience to Holy Spirit, we begin to see ourselves through His eyes. As we live with and through Him, He begins to reveal things about ourselves we previously didn’t understand or even know.

It is in His Presence that we become — that we reach our full purpose and meaning. The divine Architect slowly reveals His plans. With each passing season, He desires us to discover a freedom in being and a fulfillment in living. Giftings and passions slowly rise to the surface.

You Fit

We weren’t created for the world, so we will never “fit” in it. But the skin we live in will begin to fit and form around the image He created us to be the closer we walk with Him. Our full purpose comes with eternal design.

As we begin to live with eternity in mind, we will automatically fulfill our earthly calling. This short life stands as a mere preparation for the eternal one to come. Our lives are too short to waste by imitating even the best people around us.

May we each see God in previously unrealized dimensions. May we also grasp in a fuller way, all He designed us to be. Then may we set our hearts to fully reach our God-given purpose and meaning.

“Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead.”
Philippians 3:12-13

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Soaring High on Wings Like Eagles

MaryAnn Ward 0 Comment Freedom & Transformation, Inspirational Blog, Purpose and Calling , , , , , , , , , , ,

When fatigued and discouraged, we often find it difficult to envision ever soaring high again, especially soaring on wings like eagles. But God gives a special promise to all of us weary ones.

A rare sighting of bald eagles, passing through our prairie region, occurs only in the spring or late fall. Each appearance of these majestic birds fills one with awe as they spread their massive wings, effortlessly rising to great heights. These stately birds of prey command attention. They were born to soar!

Under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, Isaiah promised his weary, discouraged, and defeated nation,

“Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall. But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles …”
Isaiah 40:30-31

High Nest

A mating pair of eagles usually builds their nest in one of the tallest trees in the forest or on a high rocky ledge, near fresh or salt water. Perched high above, they defend a territory of up to two kilometers, keeping other eagles and predators at bay. Though impressive in the sky, they awkwardly walk on the ground with a rocking gait.

From the time an eaglet breaks through its confining shell, it sees the world from dizzying heights.

In the same way, when we come into relationship with God through new birth by the Spirit, God opens our eyes to see from a higher perspective — to cast our gaze over “earthly” regions with altitude vision.

As we back up a few verses, Isaiah directed the vision of his people to a higher level as well. Tired and broken, they felt powerless, lacking any strength to fight. But God!

“Do you not know? Have you not heard?
The Everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth
Does not become tired or grow weary;
There is no searching of His understanding.
He gives strength to the weary,
And to him who has no might He increases power.”
Isaiah 40:28-29

But God! God is and always will be the “Everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator” of all. He NEVER grows tired or weary. His understanding is beyond comprehension. Oh, how wonderful! Because we are His, in a personal relationship with Him, “He gives strength” to all those who are weary. He increases the power of the weak.

The weak will rise, soaring high on wings like eagles!

But Wait

Isaiah reveals the key to accessing all that God has. It involves waiting.

The Hebrew word translated “wait” means to bind together, collect, or expect. The Amplified Bible says, “those who wait for the Lord [who expect, look for, and hope in Him] will gain new strength and renew their power.”

Sometimes we view waiting as passively, patiently, and quietly staying in the condition we’re in until the right moment. We think waiting is something to be endured.

Waiting with God implies a melding together, surrendering of our will, and aligning ourselves with His purposes. It includes expectation and complete trust. Waiting involves a deepening relationship with God — Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

Those little eaglets don’t despair while flightlessly waiting in their nest. They trust for their daily provision, protection from the elements, and defence from predators. Unaware of subtle changes, their feathers grow in, their wings strengthen, while internal structures develop the power to maneuver their increasing mass.

Only in the waiting, only in the trusting, only in abiding in the “nest” of God’s care does our strength come as well.

He gives strength to the weary,
And to him who has no might He increases power.”
Isaiah 40:29

Wings like Eagles

God rescued us from the captivity of darkness and raised us to soar. He calls and equips us to rise to higher levels on wings like eagles.

The enemy desires to keep us grounded, incapacitating us. God never meant us to walk focused on ground-level initiatives. He embedded in us an eagle incentive. He invites us to “nest” with Him and rest in Him — becoming like Him, knowing His heart, gaining His perspective, and growing in spiritual strength and power.

The time to take flight comes only after waiting. Let’s come and wait. Then spread these powerful wings, sons and daughters of the Living God. Together, let’s exercise our gifting and anointing.

“They will lift up their wings [and rise up close to God] like eagles [rising toward the sun];
They will run and not become weary,
They will walk and not grow tired.”
Isaiah 40:31

They will lift up their wings and rise up close to God. They will run and not become weary, walking without growing tired. What a promise God gives!

Though the nest has been a comfortable habitation, the adults encourage the eaglets to spread their wings on the upward currents. Some early flights result in crash landings. Ease of flight requires practice. But God created them to soar. This is their destiny.

Rise

No matter what you have been through. No matter how desperate your situation is. Rise little one! Ascend to the fullness of God’s calling over your life.

Eagles roost and rest for the night, but each morning they spread their wings and rise again.

Rest when you need to rest. Wait for God’s strength to surpass your weariness. Then, soar high on wings like eagles. God planted in you the craving for more. Whatever level you are living now is not your full potential.

May God give you courage to push above. May He grant you the strength and vision to ascend higher and to reach farther. Without taking your eyes off Him, fly — fly effortlessly into the next stage of your calling.

Bless you.

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