To what we are called is only known to God

To what we are called is only known by God

Think back to the first time the Holy Spirit whispered into your sub-conscience and stirred within you something beyond your wildest imagination.  ”Who me?”  You want me where? 

A call to ministry is not a far-out thought that some just reminisce over; It is real and comes but once in life.  God will not keep placing this invitation before us hoping we will respond in a positive answer.  He urges until each one is ready to accept this once in a lifetime call and then calls us by name.  I had mentioned before there is a mural on the wall of a stairway in St. Paul’s Seminary in Crafton, PA (Pittsburgh Diocese) with the caption; “God calls but once, your response is forever.”  

My own response was not an immediate answer, but through years of steps in small ministries I began to build a rampart that would withstand the attacks of evil designed to steer me away from this call.  Probably for each one of us the scenario is the same.  Not one of God’s prophets was born a prophet; in fact each one was called by God from being a shepherd, or one who tended his father’s flock, a nobody in the eyes of society.  “To Amos, Amaziah said:  “Off with you, visionary, flee to the land of Judah!  There earn your bread by prophesying, but never again prophesy in Bethel; for it is the king’s sanctuary and a royal temple.”  Amos answered Amaziah, “I was no prophet, nor have I belonged to a company of prophets; I was a shepherd and a dresser of Sycamores.  The Lord took me from following the flock, and said to me, Go, prophesy to my people Israel.”  (Amos 7: 12 - 15). 

There is not any of us who is called because of our PH'd that we are chosen.  It is what we have that is unknown to us in the beginning that God will use to form us in his image to reach people we have not even considered.  It is true that a number of prophets in our own day have credentials of intellect, but never shall any of them stand before God as superior.  When the call comes, be humbled that God has a specific ministry and circumstance that is in need of us, more than any other prophet, to reach one or more persons that the Holy Spirit will be sending to hear from us.  That is true and I even experienced that in my diaconal ministry.

Another factor of our individual call would floor us if we knew the outcome of our mission.  Relating a true story of a preacher who was awakened three times early in the morning who was told to go to the local railroad station and preach a sermon about Christ.  At the third request from God he did go to the railroad station on the lower level and preached to an empty station.  Later in life an unknown minister named Billy Sunday said he was on another level early one morning and heard this sermon.  He was found to be preaching at an outdoor gathering mentioning this occurrence.  Sitting in the audience was another future preacher hearing this and became world famous; Billy Graham!  One preacher awakened to go and preach to no one resulted in the greatest preacher in the 20th century.  Who knows what mission you or I will be called to reach another world famous preacher of God? 

Some of you, or even one, may be able to relate to this very same incident.  Do not try to imagine what and where God is going to call you over the next  year of 50 or 60 years.  God is not a purveyor or quick acting events.  There is no time and space with eternity and will not be that with your future mission.  Accept your call and do not be surprised when the Holy Spirit sends you somewhere you never dreamed of.  He knows your ability and will send someone that only you can reach.

Ralph B. Hathaway