Feb 9th, 2021: God's Calling

 Image result for moses in Mt. Sinai

Can we think of one good reason why God does not want us? Indeed, we are not worthy of the calling we have received. We follow the call knowing that we don't deserve it. I have met many people who are struggling with the thoughts that God wants them.


When we do a quick survey of the Bible, we learn how God chose people from different walks of life to do His will. Here are just a few examples.


Moses could not talk properly. He stuttered. However, Moses was a great prophet and teacher. He led his people out of slavery from Egypt. God gave him the ten commandments in Mt. Sinai. That has been the foundation for ethics in Western civilization.


Hosea's wife is a prostitute or a woman characterized by sexual infidelity. God asked Hosea to marry her. God used that as an example of His great love for His people.


David had an affair. He committed two grave sins that demanded death: adultery and premeditated murder. David repented. He never doubted that God had chosen him to be King of Israel.


Peter denied Jesus three times during the time of the crucifixion. He is one of the most gullible disciples of Jesus. Sometimes we have the feeling that Peter opened his mouth just to change his foot. He was Jesus' choice to lead the church. 


Paul used to persecute Jesus' followers. He called himself one of the worst offenders. His conversion took place at the time he was making a name for himself by killing early believers. Paul's letters to the early churches constitute a significant part of the New Testament. His writing has had an enduring influence on many cultures.


So what is God's plan for you? Remember that it is blasphemy not to believe that God has a plan for us. It is like saying that God has forgotten that He created us.

Isaiah 1:17

"Learn to do right; seek justice. Defend the oppressed. Take up the cause of the fatherless; plead the case of the widow."


Matthew 6:33-34

"But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own."

Popular posts from this blog

Aug 31st, 2024: Confession

Image
Dealing with pain sometimes affects our ability and flexibility. A physiotherapist friend gave me a set of home exercises to help with that. They are simple yet intense at the same time. Dealing with our human brokenness sometimes affects our ability to see and hear God. Our commitment to spiritual disciplines must be at the core of our relationship with God. One of the disciplines I have been trying to embrace more fully is confession. It’s not just about recognizing where we have gone wrong; it’s about how we have chosen to live our lives independently from God. It’s about whether we truly want God to be part of our lives. The absence of meaningful confession will damage our freedom to experience intimacy with God. "Whoever conceals his transgressions will not prosper, but he who confesses and forsakes them will obtain mercy." - Proverbs 28:13
Read more

Sept 4th, 2024: Praying in Images

Image
It has been a rough few days. Living in immense pain does not allow us much energy to think about anything. I ended up praying in images, and not many words came out of my mouth. Most of the images were of people I know. God knew that I was praying for them as their faces came to my mind. I did not need to mention the circumstances or situations of their lives—He knows. My heart was at peace as I ended my days with these images. He will take care of my body, and I know this because I was able to get some sleep. Tomorrow is in His hands.
Read more

Oct 1st, 2022: Be With Those Who Suffer

Image
  Listening to a young woman who shared her experience of being raped repeatedly by a family member for over four years as a teenager made my heart ache. The man who did that was a leader of a church. He was imprisoned for seven months and released. He was her stepfather. Her mother chose to pick him over her after his release. Her life has changed forever. She had to go to a foster home. Her foster parents helped her with her restoration and her faith in God. Her supervisor at work asked me to see her because someone at work was inappropriate toward her. That triggered many emotions within her. I did not expect the story I heard from her. The meeting took longer than I thought, and it was toward the end of the day. She kept talking about her anger and the pain she felt when men treated her like a subject. I knew that the best I could do was to listen. She told me she had not been able to tell anyone as much as with me. God reminded me of the true calling of being a pas...
Read more