Though it tarries, wait for
it… —Habakkuk 2:3
“Patience is not the same as
indifference; patience conveys the idea of someone who is tremendously strong
and able to withstand all assaults. Having the vision of God is the source of
patience because it gives us God’s true and proper inspiration. Moses endured,
not because of his devotion to his principles of what was right, nor because of
his sense of duty to God, but because he had a vision of God. “…he endured as
seeing Him who is invisible” (Hebrews 11:27). […] It is a bad thing to be satisfied
spiritually. The psalmist said, “What shall I render to the Lord…? I will take
up the cup of salvation…” (Psalm 116:12-13). We are apt to look for
satisfaction within ourselves and say, “Now I’ve got it! Now I am completely
sanctified. Now I can endure.” Instantly we are on the road to ruin. […] Paul
said, “Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press
on…” (Philippians 3:12). If we have only what we have experienced, we have
nothing. But if we have the inspiration of the vision of God, we have more than
we can experience. Beware of the danger of spiritual relaxation.” CHAMBERS
There
is a pattern in the lives of the people called by God. They “heard” the call of God, they entered into
a season of preparation, and then God told them it was time to enter into their
calling. I put “heard” in quotes because
only in a few instances did God speak audibly from Heaven to men, and when He
did, few could discern it. In John
12:28-30 Jesus said, “Father,
glorify your name!” Then a voice came from heaven, “I have glorified it, and
will glorify it again.” The crowd that was there and heard it said it had
thundered; others said an angel had spoken to him. Jesus said, “This voice was
for your benefit, not mine.” Like Jesus, God does not need to call us audibly,
we have His Spirit in us and we know when it is God speaking. There are general and specific callings. God calls all men (and women) to Himself, to
salvation by faith in Jesus. God calls
us to live a life that is obedient to the Word of God. And God calls each of us to fulfill His
purpose for us using the spiritual capacity or giftings given to us. We, all, must grow into our calling, if you will. We must enter into a season of preparation
for our specific calling. The length of
that season varies. For Moses it was 40
years. For Paul it was three years including
time in the desert. (Galatians 1:15-18) “But when God, who set me apart
from my mother’s womb and called me by his grace, was pleased to reveal his Son
in me so that I might preach him among the Gentiles, my immediate response was
not to consult any human being. I did not go up to Jerusalem to see those who
were apostles before I was, but I went into Arabia. Later I returned to
Damascus. Then after three years, I went up to Jerusalem to get acquainted with
Cephas (Peter).” Paul was a Pharisee, a highly
educated man, but God’s wisdom is not the same as man’s. Paul had to be prepared for his calling to be
the Apostle to the Gentiles.
So
what is my point? God has called each of
us. You can’t do what He calls you to on
your own. Moses was second in command in
Egypt. Paul was at the top of the
Pharisee ladder. But their abilities
were adequate for God’s purpose. You
cannot live your new life successfully on your terms. You cannot serve God anyway you want to. The way you think best. God will never ask you to do anything that
you can do by yourself. But God will provide
His power channeled through your faith to accomplish His purpose. The nearer you draw to the Cross, the clearer
you will understand your calling and how you must live your new life. ELGIN
Charley Elgin
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