Friday, May 6, 2011

God Calling

“up on your feet—I have a job for you. I've handpicked you to be a servant and witness to what's happened today, and to what I am going to show you. I'm sending you off to open the eyes of the outsiders so they can see the difference between dark and light, and choose light, see the difference between Satan and God, and choose God. I'm sending you off to present my offer of sins forgiven, and a place in the family, inviting them into the company of those who begin real living by believing in me."

"What could I do. . . . . ? I couldn't just walk away from a vision like that! I became an obedient believer on the spot. I started preaching this life-change—this radical turn to God and everything it meant in everyday life—" Acts 26:16-20 (MSG)

A Mother’s Day Reflection for Parents

It will seem strange that I’m thinking about Mother’s day in the context of the apostle Paul’s Damascus road conversion, and it is true that pastors have this dangerous habit of connecting anything to anything even when they don’t connect, nevertheless . . . . . .

Paul was not saved by God just so he could go to heaven. Just like you and I he was saved by Jesus for something. Just like you and I, he was called. Moms and Dads are called. Parenting is a calling. Would you like to hear the heart of a Christian parent? Here it is;

I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.
3 John 1:4 (NIV)

So, as we come to mother’s day weekend I encourage you to reflect on the calling Paul received, receive it as your own, in your own context, believing that if your children follow Christ, they are living the “life that is truly life”. Here once again are the words of Paul’s and parents’ calling

" 'I'm sending you off .. . . .
“ to open the eyes of (your children) so they can see the difference between
dark and light, and choose light”

“to see the difference between Satan and God, and choose God”.

“to present my offer of sins forgiven, and a place in the family, inviting them
into the company of those who begin real living by believing in me.'”

"What could I do. . . . . ? I couldn't just walk away from a vision like that.

Today’s Prayer

“Lord, help me to accept your call to seek to introduce my family to Jesus. I’m no apostle Paul and I’m full of sin and weakness and I can’t be like other parents who seem to do it all so right. But I can and do accept your call on me and will trust you to guide me in it. . . . . . as long as I am alive . . . . . . regardless of how old my children become . . . . . please use me for your purposes. Amen”