“But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother’s womb, and called me by His grace, to reveal His Son in me, that I might preach Him among the heathen; immediately, I conferred not with flesh and blood.” Galatians 1:15,16
God calls people, individual people, but He also calls nations. The greatest of all callings is that of His Son to be born of a virgin, live among us, die on a cross for our sins, and be raised from the dead, now seated at the right hand of God, having obtained an eternal redemption for us. This is the calling of which Isaiah wrote: “Behold, My servant, whom I uphold, mine elect, in whom My soul delighteth. I have put My Spirit upon Him: He shall bring forth judgement to the Gentiles…He shall not fail nor be discouraged…I the Lord have called Thee in righteousness, and will hold thine hand, and will keep thee, and give thee for a covenant to the people, for a light of the Gentiles.” (Is. 42:1,4,6) The Apostle Peter wrote of this holy calling by saying that all believers have been redeemed with the precious blood of Christ, “…as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: who verily was foreordained BEFORE the foundation of the world.” (1 Peter 1:20) Christ’s calling stretched back before time began. The Apostle Paul would declare that he had been separated unto God “…from before my mother’s womb.” And Jeremiah would write the Lord’s own words concerning his calling: “Then the word of the Lord came unto me, saying, ‘Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb, I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.” (Jer. 1:5) So, Christ’s calling is not only the perfect, eternal calling for all of mankind to see and know, but it is the pattern, and the declaration of God’s provision, for every individual who comes to Christ, and is saved by faith. It must be said at this point that this personal calling of the individual believer to Christ is first a personal, individual dealing by God with the person, ever calling him by his name. Jesus declares this in John’s gospel, when He speaks of the Shepherd, who calls all of His sheep, BY NAME. It is secondly, a personal encounter with Christ, not just some imagination of men, some other god. The Lord Jesus is the only Savior of mankind, the only one with the right and true message for mankind by which one can be saved from sin, its guilt and condemnation, and its power to destroy. So, Christ comes by the Spirit, and quietly speaks, draws out the heart, and eventually brings the individual to believing faith in Him, because of the convicting and convincing power by the Spirit. When the new birth occurs, and one is “…born of God,” that eternal calling is sealed and embraced, the believer having been placed into Jesus Christ, there to partake of His calling in a certain measure, that calling to proclaim the Gospel to all men, and save as many as will respond in repentance and faith to the overtures of the Spirit drawing them to God. But what does this individual “calling,” have to do with the individual believer? Are we not all different, having received different spiritual gifts, also having been put in different circumstances?
The answer to this question begins with “the ending,” or that which has already been accomplished in Christ. The Apostle Paul wrote: “For the gifts and the calling of God are without repentance.” (11:29) Here is where we start in understanding something of our individual calling. It is one that God has chosen, designed, and created for every individual, according to His wisdom, and for His purpose. The problem with understanding our calling is that we often look too much at circumstances, human possibilities, and limits. God looks always on the heart. His sacred, holy calling is an unchangeable one, for it has to do primarily with union and communion with Christ.
Dear Father, Show us Thy calling. In Jesus’ name, Amen.