“The Word of the Lord came to me saying, ‘Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart, I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.’”  Jeremiah 1:4-5 NIV

“The One Who calls you is faithful, and He will do it.” I Thessalonians 5:24 NIV

God Will Do It

Just as God knew Jeremiah prior to his birth, and just as God conceived of a specific vocation for him, astonishingly, so it is with you and me! You are God’s intentional creation, fashioned with a forethought purpose! The Almighty God planned you and your unique usefulness before you were even born. The apostle Paul reiterated this very same truth about our predestination: “For we are God’s handiwork created in Christ Jesus to do good works which God prepared in advance for us to do” (Ephesians 2:10 NIV). What a privilege and opportunity we have to serve Him in a capacity for which we were especially created!

Not only did our Father imagine the plan for us, He is also the donor of the appropriate traits, skills, and talents required for His plan to come to fruition. He both furnishes and He enables! He also calls. At His appointed time, God will stir up in us and call forth what He put into place long before. In whatever capacity He calls us, it is our Father’s desire that we revel in revealing Him, so that we cause others to connect to Him.

God’s call to service is customized. He fits the means to the man. In 1 Samuel 3:2-14, we can read about how God called young Samuel who served in the temple under the priest, Eli. The two had retired for the night. Soon after, Samuel, hearing his name called, hurried to Eli’s bedside saying, “Here I am, you called me.” But Eli answered, “I did not call; go back and lie down.” This scenario repeated itself three more times until Eli finally realized that it was the Lord who was calling Samuel! Eli then instructed Samuel, “If He calls you [again], say, ‘Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.’” God did, indeed, call him again!

In His call to me, God used three separate Christians to single out a skill for service. Each person identified and suggested the same application for that trait. The repetition got my attention!

Even as we serve, God still attends us. His Holy Spirit leads and guides us in the way He would have us go. He gives us the Bible to counsel us. He provides light for our path as we daily read His Word.

“Dear Father, it is an honor to be called to serve You. We ask for ears that hear not only the call, but also Your “still, small whisper.” Let our hearts be tuned to Your Holy Spirit’s directives. Grow us and mature us so that we can carry out our service to You ethically and selflessly. In the precious name of Jesus we pray. Amen.”