When He Calls

 Isaiah 6:8-9 Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us? Then said I, Here am I; send me. And He said, Go, and tell this people,

Hear ye indeed, but understand not; and see ye indeed, but perceive not.

Have you ever felt that tap on the shoulder, sensing the Lord calling on you to do something for His Kingdom? If so, what did you picture in your mind in terms of the outcome by saying, “Yes, send me?” It is easy to romanticize things related to the Kingdom, especially after reading about the glorious exploits of God’s people in the Bible. It is easy to forecast a glorious mission with extraordinary results.

Before the proverbial tap on the shoulder, we might picture the calling itself to be some thunderous event in which the ground shakes, we fall on our face with trembling, followed by a loud booming voice from Heaven. Perhaps, it’s one in which we find ourselves face to face with an angel of God, who clearly lays out the plan before us in a vision. You get the idea. It may very well happen in such a fashion, and sometimes it’s not quite so dramatic. The Lord will call to us in a way that fits us best.

If we’re not careful, we can overlook the struggles people sustained in relation to their obedience. To be clear, some obeyed more readily than others. Often, He does not tell us what will be the result of our going; although, He may give us clues. When Isaiah was called to go speak, even in the words he was to speak indicated the people would be slow to listen. In Jeremiah’s case, he was told the people would not listen; in fact, they would rebel. Have you considered what Jesus said to the 12? Here’s one example:

Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves. But beware of men: for they will deliver you up to the councils, and they will scourge you in their synagogues (Matthew 10:16).

Sometimes one might see extraordinary results; other times, it might appear nothing happened at all. Some people will be receptive, while others will be the polar opposite.  Our responsibility is strictly obedience; the results are not up to us. For the most part, we will have no idea what kind of impact our interactions with others have. By the way, how did you respond?

When He Sends

Luke 24:46-49 And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day: And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. And ye are witnesses of these things. And, behold, I send the Promise of My Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.

Before the disciples were actually sent, they had to wait to be endued with power by Holy Spirit. Here’s a simple take away: sometimes there’s a wait period between being called and being sent. There’s a time and timing in everything. Often, preparation is part of the process of going. If one goes before the appointed time, he may not produce nearly as much fruit as he would by waiting. Of course, when it’s time to go, it’s time to go. It’s important to allow the Lord to determine the when, even when we don’t feel ready -especially when we don’t feel ready.

How He Sends

As you read Scripture, you will find a number of ways the Lord sent people out. For sake of brevity, examples will not be given here. That being said, here’s something to consider. He may send you in ways similar to what you read in the Bible. In fact, some of you may have already experienced that very thing. However, here is another consideration: sometimes the how He sends is not so obvious.

For instance, it is tempting to get frustrated when things don’t go according to plan, or when you feel like you are way behind schedule. Sometimes, these are ways He sends us. Meaning, divine connections have certain elements of timing. Two quick lessons on this one. A person might be so focused on his agenda, that he’s not as sensitive the leading of Holy Spirit. Without said interruption, the opportunity would be missed.

When things don’t’ seem to be going to plan, pull back and get open before the Lord. Ask for wisdom and direction, and allow Him to speak to your heart. We cannot control everything. Hmm.

Matthew 16:24 Then said Jesus unto His disciples, If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.

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