At one time in my life, I wanted to be a ventriloquist. Another time I wanted to join a carnival. Before all that, I had true aspirations of being Superman.
Our childhoods are often filled with fleeting fancies of what we will become one day when we are full-grown. We are influenced by the next shiny thing and change our direction from one day to another. Fortunately, as children, most have some time to figure things out before becoming adults.
But, as adults, have we really figured things out for ourselves? Do we really know what we are truly supposed to be doing in this world? Some of us may have a career picked out, but do we honestly know what our existence is for? Has anyone every looked up at the sky and asked, “Why am I here?”
When we look for reasons of our existence, we do sometimes use phrases like ‘finding our purpose.’ Other times, we may use, what I feel is a more appropriate phrase, ‘understanding our calling.’
So many of us seek an audience with God. We want to ask our Lord to be clearer in the instructions given to us. “What is it, that you want me to do with my life?” “What do you want from me?”
Some of us wait lifetimes for an answer. We hear of people having ‘visions’ and ‘holy moments’ and we wonder why we haven’t heard a thing. We wonder if the people who experience something, are somehow more deserving or ‘holier’ than we are.
“What have they got that I don’t have?”
“Why, as a grown adult, am I still asking what my calling in life is?”
“How long must I wait to hear from God?”
For a guy named Abram, it took 75 years. While Abram was sitting comfortably one day, God spoke to him.
“Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you. I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.” -Genesis 12:1-3 (NIV)
Now why can’t I get a clear message like that? Abram heard it loud and clear. He knew he was to get up and go and he got up and went. Along with him was his wife Sarai, his nephew Lot, all the possessions they had accumulated and all the people that worked with them. Abram heard his calling and with the help and support of the people around him, went out to fulfill it. The people in Abram’s life joined in on the calling of Abram, making it, in some ways, their calling too.
In following God’s calling, Abram and his people, would experience joys as well as trials. Abram would eventually change his name to Abraham. His family would grow in numbers and in time, Abraham would be known as the father of the Hebrew/Jewish people, also making him a most important ancestor of Christianity. Because Abraham followed his calling, we are a church today.
It would be a good guess that many of us do not expect to receive a calling like that of Abraham. We probably don’t envision ourselves as someone to be made into a great nation.
But what if we are?
What if, during all this time of wondering about our calling, God has been telling us what our calling is all along?
Abraham was called to start a nation of people who follow God. And if you look in the bible at all the other people called by God, they are all being called to do similar things. They are being called to follow God and invite others to do the same.
Maybe this is our calling too.
What if we were all to begin with an awareness, that each of us in some way, is called to contribute to the kingdom of God? After all, there had to be people after Abraham to carry the message forward and grow the faith. The biblical movement could not have happened by just the few written about in the bible. There had to be day to day, regular people that helped to carry the message of God forward. Is it part of our calling to continue this movement forward? Are each one of us called to be kingdom builders?
This revelation is most probably followed with an obvious question. “How do we do that?”
Maybe it would be helpful to first look at the kingdom.
There are a number of descriptions in the bible as to what the kingdom of Heaven is like. For an example, we can look at this one from Revelations 7:16-17;
“Never again will they hunger; never again will they thirst. The sun will not beat down on them, nor any scorching heat. For the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd; he will lead them to springs of living water. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”
If the kingdom of Heaven is like this description, and we are each called to help prepare for this kingdom, then wouldn’t our calling have something to do with this?
Are we being called to feed people who are hungry and thirsty? To protect people like the ones being shielded from the sun? Are we being called to come to the aid of people who are hurting, wiping away tears from those in pain, be it physical, emotional, etc.?
Are we called to help people feel better? Better about themselves? Better about each other?
And most importantly, are we called to keep Jesus Christ (The lamb) as our center? Are we called to follow Christ as our shepherd?
If this is the overview of our calling, we may be able to begin without any more specific details.
One of the things we can learn from Abraham is that he went on God’s command without much information. God told him to go and Abraham went. God didn’t tell Abraham how he was going to become a great nation. He just told Abraham to go. Abraham left what he knew. He left his comfortable surroundings, packed up and went on God’s command with faith that more instructions would follow.
Do we have enough faith, that without all the answers, we can get up and move for the kingdom of God?
Maybe we don’t know exactly how to feed the poor, or protect the unprotected, or wipe away tears.
But what if we used our church as a starting point? When Abraham left, he had those near him. Together they would carry the message forward. As a church, we can do the same.
As a church, we can pool our resources to collect food for the hungry. We can partner with other organizations to bring nourishment to those in need. As a church, we can create missions to bring health and hygiene into places that desperately need them. We can create funding and outlets for people requiring emotional and mental attention. As a church we can work together to actively love our neighbors as well as ourselves.
As a church we can make God and God’s will our main focus. Together we can grow spiritually and make Jesus Christ our center and our shepherd.
By working together as a church, we can discover our other callings. We can listen for God’s further instructions for ourselves.
By putting our all into our church, we are answering God’s call to be kingdom builders.
One thing I do know, is God is not calling any of us to sit on the sidelines and just see what happens. God wants each of us to play a part in the building of the kingdom because God loves each and every one of us.
Our purpose is not to sit and wait.
Our purpose is to go and build.
Many of us look to the heavens and ask, “why am I here?”
We pray to God asking for direction.
Some of us recite the Lord’s prayer.
What if we are not supposed to just recite it?
What if we are supposed to play a role in it?
“Our Father, which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy Name.”
(You are called to make Christ your center.)
Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
(You are called to prepare the kingdom right here and now)
Give us this day our daily bread.
(You are called to distribute the food)
And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive them that trespass against us.
(You are called to ask for help and to help others reconcile from pain and tears)
And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil.
(You are called to follow Christ as your shepherd)
For thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory, for ever and ever.
(You are called to be the church.)
Amen.