I’ve always said that those that understand clearly what the office of the Priest entails are reluctant and scared to answer God’s call. But those that do not understand it jump with both feet into it with total abandonment. The office of a Priest is the most delicate office in life in the sense that the Priest has become a middle man between the Creator of life and man. One of the challenges the Church is facing today is lack of understanding to such a crucial subject matter.
In as much as it’s a good development for the Christian Church, seeing Churches springing up everywhere, it’s also very important to note that the leadership of some of these Churches answered a call that did not happen. They answered another person’s call, leaving their own purpose. It is also noteworthy to observe that some of those that are called give a bunch of excuses in order to avoid answering the call.
For those that have a proper understanding of what is facing them and what they’re about to face, answering God’s call is like a coat turned inside-out hanging dry in the open. You no longer live a privately hidden life. You know some times, as humans, we think we have a private life that God does not need to see. It’s our business. Not God’s. We live our normal lives and go about our normal businesses not wanting to be interrupted, especially not by God. We give Him the normal time we’ve earmarked for Him, and not more.
Answering God’s call is likened to being in the same board membership and in the same boardroom with God. Those that understand it are too careful in taking any steps. They may or may not have the basic knowledge of what they’re going into, but they’re too sceptical of what to expect and keep expecting, because they know following God is a step by step journey. God may not show you all but expects you to follow inch by inch as He leads. When Moses accepted the call, he did not jump protocol (God’s directions) to go pull the children of Israel out of Egypt immediately. He attentively followed God’s leading. He followed God per step.
It is not an easy thing to let go of one’s normal life. A position whereby God alone is your inheritance? No. I doubt the attractiveness of this profession, especially not in this world of materialism. A world where everyone is struggling to gather and accumulate wealth. A world where everyone wants to be famous. Some may just prefer to quietly live their lives and go when it’s time. The bottom line is that those who understand God’s call are too careful and hesitant. It’s not an easy thing to be accountable to God and accountable for other people as well. It’s like a double edged sword. You have to account for yourself and also account for others. It takes God’s grace alone to know all these and still decide to answer.
Let us take a look at Moses in Exodus 4:10-16, 27-31 10 And Moses said unto the Lord, O my Lord, I am not eloquent, neither heretofore, nor since thou hast spoken unto thy servant: but I am slow of speech, and of a slow tongue. 11 And the Lord said unto him, Who hath made man’s mouth? or who maketh the dumb, or deaf, or the seeing, or the blind? have not I the Lord? 12 Now therefore go, and I will be with thy mouth, and teach thee what thou shalt say. 13 And he said, O my Lord, send, I pray thee, by the hand of him whom thou wilt send. 14 And the anger of the Lord was kindled against Moses, and he said, Is not Aaron the Levite thy brother? I know that he can speak well. And also, behold, he cometh forth to meet thee: and when he seeth thee, he will be glad in his heart. 15 And thou shalt speak unto him, and put words in his mouth: and I will be with thy mouth, and with his mouth, and will teach you what ye shall do. 16 And he shall be thy spokesman unto the people: and he shall be, even he shall be to thee instead of a mouth, and thou shalt be to him instead of God. 27 And the Lord said to Aaron, Go into the wilderness to meet Moses. And he went, and met him in the mount of God, and kissed him. 28 And Moses told Aaron all the words of the Lord who had sent him, and all the signs which he had commanded him. 29 And Moses and Aaron went and gathered together all the elders of the children of Israel: 30 And Aaron spake all the words which the Lord had spoken unto Moses, and did the signs in the sight of the people. 31 And the people believed: and when they heard that the Lord had visited the children of Israel, and that he had looked upon their affliction, then they bowed their heads and worshipped. KJV
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Excuses are signs of fear and doubt
Moses understood the possible enormity of the call and he armed himself with a lot of excuses. He had tried the move on his own some time in the past in Egypt. It didn’t work out well. Instead he was rejected, declared wanted and a fugitive. Moses was not only scared, he was confused, and he also found himself not fit for such an enormous task. That’s why reliance on God provides the “HOW” of the calling, which is discussed in details in another article. Moses preferred to live his life quietly without being answerable to any people. But God who knows one before he was conceived knew what He had prepared him for.
Moses dished out excuses until he ran out of excuses to make God change His mind. His hesitance to answer the call could no longer be seen as humility but as fear and unbelief. God had to knock off Moses’ excuses and counterbalanced his fears and weaknesses by reminding him who He is and showing him His strength.
You need to know that having the fear of God is good. But sometimes the fear is embedded in your doubts about God and can only be explained as unbelief in God and in who He is, and in His strength.
God gave His assurances to Moses; “Who hath made man’s mouth? or who maketh the dumb, or deaf, or the seeing, or the blind? have not I the Lord? Now therefore go, and I will be with thy mouth, and teach thee what thou shalt say”. We have often let our inadequacies and fears stand in the way of answering God’s call. God wants us to believe and recognize Him as being capable of providing the necessary support you need to accomplish His purpose.
God supports those He calls
Though God was angry with Moses for his excuses, He still reasoned with him. No amount of doubt or excuses would change God’s faith in those He calls. In the case of Moses, God, in His mercy, provided Moses with Aaron and commissioned him to be a helper in the mission to deliver God’s children out of Egypt. God would use Moses’ head and heart while Aaron would be the spokesperson.
My pastor told me in one of the leadership classes then that you pay your fare when you send yourself. But God pays the fare when He sends you. Our God is all sufficient God. He who provides even before the need.
God provided the miracles. He also provided Aaron. Without the support of God, Moses would have been arrested and jailed or killed the moment he stepped his foot in Egypt. Nobody had revoked his fugitive status. But the God that appeared to him as I AM THAT I AM, has all the power in His hands.
Do not be afraid. Do not let doubt and unbelief deny you the enviable relationship with God, the Creator of all things. God is your support. He knows why He called you. He knows where’s He taking you to. And He knows what He’s taking you through.
What the call of God demands
There is no man born of a woman that does not have a purpose. The challenge most times, is to discover this unique purpose for your life. Blessed and favoured are you when God Himself is the One calling you into that purpose for which you were created. It is more unique than others in the sense that, (1) as an apostle, you are called to take the gospel to the ends of the earth, (2) as a prophet, to warn people of what God wants to do, (3) to search and bring back the lost sheep back to their God as an evangelist, (4) to nurture the flock and ensure their growth as a pastor, and (5) to teach about the knowledge of God and His kingdom as a teacher.
Ephesians 4:11 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; KJV
There is no purpose that is not connected to the work of God. All purpose are directed towards achieving God’s will. People work for God from wherever they find their purpose, be it in the business circle, be it as an engineer, barber, medical doctor, plumber, pilot, academician, transporter, musicians, etc. It shouldn’t come as a shock to hear that some profession you may term as menial are all doing the work of God.
The only thing God demands from you is obedience and humility. God leads by instructions. And He loves a man that follows instructions. Look at the life of Abraham. He followed God’s instructions to the letter. And today, everybody is struggling to tap from his blessings. Can you also remember the story of Samuel and King Saul?
1 Samuel 15:22 And Samuel said, Hath 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 hearken than the fat of rams. KJV
People may misunderstand and misinterpret you when you’re strictly following God’s instructions. They may call you names. It doesn’t matter. That’s one of the virtues I learned from my late mother. Follow it as long as you know God is the One leading. Such people are the type God boasts about.
When you follow as He leads, He leads you to where He has prepared for you. He leads you to rest. He knows the way.
Kindly share your thought in the comment section below. Thanks and God bless.