God is great, yes! God is awesome, the mighty God, true!
With God all things are possible, correct! Amazingly, there’s one thing God cannot do – it is impossible for God to lie. Another aspect of God I marvel at, is that God does not impose Himself or His will on anyone. He places all the cards before us on the table and permits us to make decisions, giving us the power to choose what kind of life we want to live here on earth and in the hereafter.
A kind of destiny transaction. Thank God that though He’s powerful and wants to be pre-eminent in our lives, He doesn’t ‘rubbish’ us.
Joshua 24:14-15 – is a call to reverence and respect for the One who loves, but is also just. The word “serve” is used seven times in these two verses and means to give allegiance exclusively to God. Joshua did not call the people to “choose for themselves” because He believed that there were two options from God’s perspective. Doing so offered him the opportunity to affirm his own loyalty to God and urge a similar response from the people. The people’s strong covenant response was undoubtedly sincere; however, for most it did not develop. Many soon did forsake the Lord.
The classic challenge of Elijah, “how long will you falter, (1 kings 18:21)” betrays the double mindedness of the people, which applies to some of us even today.
We must follow the Lord wholeheartedly or not at all.
Question arises, how do you persist to success? Well, follow the deep desire of your innate and lifelong calling. Just because everyone else expects someone to fill a specific role is not enough by itself to qualify as God’s call on his or her life.
Life is seldom a cakewalk for one who hears God’s call by desire.
A calling is tenacious. It works itself out despite the obstacles. You do not reach the South Pole in a day. Like any calling, it is a lifetime pursuit. A calling always finds an opportunity for expressing itself, I daresay.
Quality specialist Philip Crosby has said; “The great discoveries are usually obvious”. This implies that sometimes, one’s calling is self-evident. It is not a question of what your calling is, but if you want to accept it.
One of the ways in which God calls is by making things so certain that though the individual might wrestle with if he wants to do it, he will not wrestle with what he is supposed to do. Sometimes, it is a golden opportunity that falls in your lap or an extra-ordinary ability that you were born with. Other times it is an option that has God’s fingerprints all over it. Family held business for example, often creates an expectation that a child or grandchild will succeed the previous generation. You know what you are to do; now you just have to come to terms with the sacrifice it will take. The choice is yours, though it may or may not be so obvious initially.
Such ‘gates’ of obvious calling are usually covered with risk, overwhelming feat and intimidation on the front side, but almost always prove ‘painted’ with unusual opportunities and gratification on the other. Esther is a typical case study of a calling by the path of life that was arranged before her.
Esther was an orphan and was raised by her cousin Mordecai, a Jew who held office in the palace of the Persian King of Shushan. Mordecai had parented well and Esther had responded accordingly. There must have been a singular grace and charm in her character or features and manners, since she “obtained favour in the sight of all who saw her”. (Esther 2:15)
As with all courts of kings and queens, the palace of Ahaseurus was full of politics and intrigue. Its drama was not a game but deadly serious business. Haman was one of those “players” who hovered around the centre of power. He was a master of political intrigue. Hearing of Haman’s plot, Mordecai warned Esther.
Thus, Esther swung into action. Risking her own life, she approached the king and foiled Haman’s plan, condemning him to the gallows. Every Jew in the country owed their very lives to their compatriot queen. Her heritage was common, not royal. God, however, arranged her path in an undeniable way. Like Esther, you have been called by God to fulfill His work for you “for such a time as this”. This requires different kinds of choices. Calling is God’s specific invitation. In the end, the individual being called must finally determine if the call is for him or her. My calling is what I answer or am accountable to Jesus for, so whatever others think, must also be confirmed in my own spirit. So, make good use of your power to choose as you walk daily through the chequered pavement of your mortal existence on earth.
God bless and keep you.