March 13, 2009
"Out of all the families on earth, I picked you. Therefore, because of your special calling, I'm holding you responsible for all your sins." –Amos 3:2
Yea, I read the verse twice too; God is not a game! Amos was delivering the message of God to the Children of Israel. He began by telling them that God was calling them into account- every family He delivered from Egypt would be made accountable for their actions. He’d given them a second chance. God took them from bondage and enabled them to start over and they were still acting crazy. He told them that because of their “special calling” (the work He placed in them to complete), He was going to hold them responsible for everything they did. He does the same to us, too. My mom and I were talking the other day about this new movement where people think they can do whatever they want without consequence. Knowing my mother, I also knew she was using it as an opportunity to illustrate to me what I was doing that she wasn’t necessarily a fan of (I hear it’s a gift that only comes with motherhood). She said to me “Candice, it boils down to one question: Do you want to God to use you or not? If you answer yes, then you have to be willing to die in every way that’s necessarily to live for Him and if you answer no, you have to be ready to die and know you’re not going to live at all.” Say it again, Mama!
The fact remains that, because we each know (or have some idea of) where God is taking or wants to take us, we also know that the responsibility of that level will require a surrender in us that could render our current lifestyles nonexistent. The surface is: Because God called me to do a specific work, I need to stop drinking, I need to stop letting him like it without putting a ring on it, I need to stop cursing, I need to stop half paying my tithes. That’s the easy “to-do” list. The harder things are: Because God called me to do a specific work, I need to stop doubting that I can do it, I need to stop becoming frustrated when what I want to do doesn’t work, I need to stop looking for excuses to continue doing the unproductive, I need to stop believing in everyone else and give myself some of that faith. These are all things that God will hold us accountable for when we fail to recognize what we can’t do for Him without Him. The weight of our call is heavy and we are weak; but isn’t His strength made perfect right then? Riiight.
I will be the first to admit that walking in the call God has spoken over your life is difficult, whether you’re at the stage where you first recognize it or have been travelling down the road for a minute. But what I do know is that He gives us specific and deliberate grace to complete every assignment- and since He gave us the assignments, He’s got our backs. Don’t be fooled. The ones “called” aren’t just the preachers. God’s called the teachers, attorneys, physicians, counselors, bankers, politicians, artists, engineers, mechanics, marketing strategists, barbers, stylists, musicians, authors, trainers, husbands, wives, children- He’s called us all to do a work that only we can do that will benefit the kingdom greatly. And because of that work, there are certain things we know we can’t do. It’s hard (believe me…I know how hard it is) and every day, we don’t hit the mark. But don’t stop trying to; that’s when we fail and God becomes displeased. Recognize your call and the power within you to do it. You can do it, you know. You really can. He wouldn’t have given it to you if you couldn’t.
Wow. That just made me smile. And I know you are, too.
©BirthRight, 2009
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