Being "called"

Hey guys,

Tonight was a little bit disjointed, I apologize for that. Even after almost 8 years doing ministry at Bethel, Charlotte and I are still trying to figure out our teaching styles. I hope that the entire theme of the night wasn't lost though. Basically we need to understand that our lives don't need to amount to nothing. We don't need to hop onto the treadmill that the rest of the world is on - living for ourselves, trying to find fulfillment in objects and people. The truth is - God has chosen us, He has chosen to redeem us, to free us, to call us His own. That's super news. And it goes way beyond simply being chosen, God has called us (there's that word) to join with Him into placing His mark on the world that we live in. And the mark isn't just some generic stamp that every Christian is given - it's an individual fingerprint of how God has designed YOU to impact things. Everyone has been called in the same direction... but doing different things as God has gifted us.

I really love the passage that we read tonight. For those of you who weren't there it's Ephesians 4:1-16. The verse that really stood out to me is the following:

"To each of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it..." We are distinct image bearers of God in a unique way. In the same way that our fingerprints and DNA are unique so is the way that we not only see the world but the way the world can be impacted by using the gifts and talents that God has given us. We are all workers in the Kingdom - we all have a hand in completing the picture of God to the world.

This just oozes mission. This just breathes purpose. This just screams passion. We are all called. We are all unique. We all carry with us a piece of the puzzle. We all belong. We are all desired by God and useful to Him.

But knowing this is just knowledge... walking it out is an entirely different thing. What will we say when Jesus calls to us, "Come follow me..."? Will we have the trust in Him to abandon whatever hinders us from this sort of life? Or will we be lulled back into complacency by the voices in our minds that tell us that we're nobody special... our life won't amount to anything worthwhile?

Should be fun stuff to unpack with you guys! Looking forward to the next while...