Recently, as a ministry team we were reading and discussing chapter 6 of Warren Wiersbe’s book, “On Being a Servant of God.” This little gem is packed with strong, powerful insights on serving God in greater ways. It’s one of those books that will become foundational for you as you grow in your ministry life. I pick it up at least once a year to be reminded of the wisdom he shares. It’s one of those books that as I read it again, often I will say, “oh that’s where I picked up that principle!” There is nothing new under the sun.
In Chapter 6, Warren mentions how Moses resisted the call of God upon His life. He writes:
Such resistance isn’t unusual. After all, it is an awesome thing to be God’s servant and do His will. Like marriage, Christian service should not be “entered into lightly or carelessly, but reverently, erently, soberly and in the fear of God:’ as The Book of Common Prayer puts it. But it’s one thing to resist the call of God and quite another thing to refuse it. That’s what Jonah did, and God kept after him until he said a reluctant yes. But what a price Jonah paid! If God has called you to minister, no matter what that ministry may be, He hasn’t made a mistake. He knows what He’s doing, and the best thing you can do is gratefully submit to His will and trust Him to work. (p. 32-33)
A far better response for us is to embrace the call of God upon our lives. It is a glorious privilege to serve God! He’s the one who has hand picked us and prepared us and empowered us to join Him in His Work. The question remains, “How?” Let’s consider a few.
1. Passionately. We pursue God’s call with passion and fervor. We make an ongoing choice to embrace what He’s doing and respond with passionate obedience. Passion is defined as a strong, barely controllable emotion. This is where we get the phrase, “follow hard after God.”
Psalm 119:32 (NLT) “I will pursue your commands, for you expand my understanding.”
2. Worshipfully. We pursue the call of God upon our lives worshipfully. God’s call upon your life is one born out of relationship. Everything we do can be a form of worship unto Him. Don’t think of this as merely singing songs, but rather think of it as your life submitted in worship, adoration, and surrender to Him.
Colossians 3:16 (NLT) “Let the message about Christ, in all its richness, fill your lives. Teach and counsel each other with all the wisdom he gives. Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts.”
3. Faithfully. We pursue the call of God upon our lives faithfully. Over and over again, the Bible emphasizes faithfulness. We learn faithfulness is always rewarded and unfaithfulness leads to consequences.
1 Corinthians 4:2 (NKJV) “Moreover it is required in stewards that one be found faithful.”
4. Lovingly. We pursue the call of God in His agape love. Believe me, you will need love in your relationships with others. Love is the lubricant the helps forgiveness flow freely, and remember, love covers a multitude of sins!
1 Corinthians 13:4–8 (NKJV) “Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails…”
5. Humbly. We pursue the call of God in humility. How vital this attribute is to our faithful obedience. Humility is a right understanding of who we are in Christ. It follows the denial of ourselves and is followed up with an esteeming of others more highly than ourselves.
Micah 6:8 (NKJV) “He has shown you, O man, what is good;And what does the Lord require of you. But to do justly,To love mercy, And to walk humbly with your God?”
6. Obediently. We pursue the call of God in obedience, regular and ongoing. We must acknowledge that our lives are not our own but we were bought with a price. We belong to Jesus and the natural, and expected response from us is obedience. Disobedience takes us off course bringing frustration and difficulties.
1 Samuel 15:22 (NKJV) “So Samuel said: “Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, As in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, And to heed than the fat of rams.”
One more thing I’d like you to consider. When you choose to respond to the call of God with excuses and defensiveness, those are responses that cooperate with the enemy of our souls. Excuses limit our ability to press through obstacles and grow from constructive feedback and invitations to greater faith! Defensiveness pushes away important information God intends for us to learn and grow from.
May the Lord bless you and encourage you as you rise to the high calling of God in your life!
