“In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lifted up, and the train of HIs robe filled the temple.” Isaiah 6:1
How important is one’s calling by God? It is as important as who God is, and that which is His design and purpose in that calling. First of all, it must be understood that God’s calling is not of man, not having its origin or essence in man, but in the Eternal God, Creator and Redeemer of men. The concept of the calling, as well as the concise completeness of that calling, has its origin in the Eternal and Only Wise God, and Jesus Christ whom He has sent. The calling then is not some haphazard thought, concept, imagination, or something hoped for. It is the expression of the will of God concerning the purpose and power by which God brings about His kingdom on earth, as it is in heaven. It is singular, and specific to every believer, as each individual is endowed with specific gifts for the realization of that calling. It is primarily the revealed invitation, coupled with a command, of God’s desire and will that the individual believer should know Him with certainty, and see His glory. It is a commitment by God to never fail the believer, not only in revealing to him the specifics of the calling, but also, the abundant, and abounding resources in Christ, for its accomplishment. The calling of God is the revelation of Christ Himself to the heart, so that the believer can, by the grace of God, respond with the whole heart, knowing that God in His wisdom, not only is willing to fill the believer with the knowledge of His will, and a knowledge of His gifts to the disciple, but also with the strength to believe Him for His fulness. We see this in a great hymn by Charles Wesley, when he writes: “Less than Thyself O do not give; In might Thyself within me live; Come all Thou hast and art.” Wesley most certainly grasped something of the call of God by writing that God is willing, according to that calling, to GIVE His fulness, so that all of His purposes will be accomplished and realized for His glory, and the blessing of men. No good thing will He withhold from those who walk uprightly, and certainly, “He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?” (Rom. 8:32) Believers are made “more than conquerors” by virtue of their union with Christ, the fulness of the Spirit, and the faith of Christ to believe God with the whole heart.
The first thing we see in God’s calling of Isaiah is God, Isaiah seeing Him, “high and lifted up,” seated upon a throne, surrounded by those who constantly declare His holiness. The result of that vision, in regard to his calling, was the essential act of God dealing thoroughly with Isaiah’s sin, specifically, the uncleanness of his lips.
Once God had dealt with the matter of cleansing, and this by the authority of His words, “…your iniquity is taken away, and your sin purged,” then came the hearing of God’s voice to Isaiah’s heart. The words of that voice were very simple, yet powerfully clear, convincing, and convicting, all encompassing. God said: “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” (6:8) The Eternal God has cleansed Isaiah’s heart and soul from the iniquity that would have hindered him from responding to the call of God. Then comes the eternal question directed to Isaiah: “And who will go for Us?” The calling of God is just as eternal as God’s work of cleansing from sin. They are of God alone. Paul declared this by writing: “Paul, an apostle (not from men nor through man, but through Jesus Christ, and God the Father.)” (Gal. 1:1) Paul came to realize that he had been separated by God…from his mother’s womb, a calling by God’s grace.
Dear Father, Show us our calling. In Jesus name, Amen.