Thought for Today

Genesis 7:1 Then the LORD said to Noah, "Go into the ark, you and all your household, for I have seen that you alone are righteous before me in this generation.  

Exodus 4:12 Now go, and I will be with your mouth and teach you what you are to speak."

Matthew 2:1 In the time of King Herod, after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, 2 asking, "Where is the child who has been born king of the Jews? For we observed his star at its rising, and have come to pay him homage."  

Acts 9:10 Now there was a disciple in Damascus named Ananias. The Lord said to him in a vision, "Ananias." He answered, "Here I am, Lord."  

Yesterday, I closed with, “Look at your own life. What is God calling for you to do? How has God already equipped you? How is God equipping you now?” A good friend and former neighbor responded with an email sharing her own calling. She has volunteered at Texas Children’s Hospital for many years. In her own words, “I truly believe he led me to volunteering at Texas Children's Hospital in the Medical Center. I plan to continue until I can no longer drive to get to the park and ride because that's where God wants me to be.”

Where does God want you to be? Like our friend, I believe God called me to a particular ministry; and, I believe the pulpit to which I have now been called is where God wants me to be. I will not be able, in the future, to access the park and ride system used by our former neighbor north of Houston . . . but I do have the Uber app on my cell phone.

Sometimes, God’s calling involves risk, sometimes preparatory work, sometimes relocation. Abram had to move clear across the world. Copilot tells me that “The distance from Ur to Canaan is approximately 5570 kilometers (3461.2 miles.” It also tells me that “The total driving distance from Houston, TX to Tewksbury, MA is 1854 miles or 2984 kilometers.” Admittedly, that 1854 miles was mitigated for us by our granddaughters flying to Houston and riding with us on the trip.

Where does God want you to be? What is God calling for you to do? God told Noah to ‘go build an ark.’ He told Noah to load up all the animals, all his family, and ‘ride out the storm.’ Was Noah a shipbuilder? Could Noah even drive a straight nail? It didn’t matter. God equips the called.

God told Moses to turn in his shepherd’s crook and to return to Egypt where he was wanted for murder. He told Moses to confront Pharoah, one of the most powerful men in the world. Was Moses a lawyer? Was Moses trained in rhetoric? It didn’t matter. God equips the called.

God called the magi to travel across much of the same route as had Abram, to travel a great distance to pay homage to Jesus. That title magi is from the Greek μάγοι, from the Persian magus (great) and is the plural for the high priestly caste of Persia. Learned men, astronomers, astrologers, mathematicians. Were they also learned in exploring, in traveling into unknown regions? It didn’t matter. God equips the called.

Maybe the most frightening, challenging example is that of the Ananias involved in educating Saul of Tarsus, preparing him to be the apostle Paul. Saul was traveling to Damascus to persecute Christians. He was functioning as the enforcer for the High Priest in Jerusalem. Certainly Ananias and the other Christians in Damascus knew about Saul, knew his zeal in arresting and persecuting Christians. “Acts 9:11 The Lord said to him, "Get up and go to the street called Straight, and at the house of Judas look for a man of Tarsus named Saul. At this moment he is praying.” Was Ananias prepared to face the enforcer? Was he prepared to convert the one who described himself as “Acts 23:6 I am a Pharisee, a son of Pharisees.” He also said, "Acts 22:3 ‘I am a Jew, born in Tarsus in Cilicia, but brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, educated strictly according to our ancestral law, being zealous for God’“? It didn’t matter. God equips the called.

Thank goodness none of those in these examples failed to answer God’s call. Imagine the consequences had they done so. None of us might be who we now are. Where does God want you to be? What is God calling for you to do? What is God equipping you to do?

Stay safe, watch and listen, trust God,

Pastor Ray