I think most of us wrestle with wanting to know more clearly what we’re supposed to do, what role we’re supposed to play, where we’re supposed to live, and other specifics regarding our path in life. In Christian circles we tend to use phrases like “What is God’s will for my life?” or “what is my calling?” when we talk about this. We’d probably be a lot less stressed, more at peace, and even make more of an impact if we knew for sure what were “called” to.
As I’ve continue looking at scripture and getting to know Jesus more, I’ve come to believe that He has both made our calling clear and he doesn’t care so much about what job we have, where we live, and other specifics like these.
In Romans, Paul says, “Through him and for his name’s sake, we received grace and apostleship to call people from among all the Gentiles to the obedience that comes from faith. And you also are among those who are called to belong to Jesus Christ.” (Rom1:5-6)
At the end of the passage Paul says that our calling is to simply BELONG to Jesus. You may be thinking what I’m thinking, “That doesn’t help me, I need a list of things to do or a job description. What do I have to do to belong?” Well, I think the answer is nothing really. We are to just be his… his cherished possession. His child seeking to grasp more and more how much we’re loved by him. Just spend time being with him. Just rest in the truth that you are his, and he is yours, and nothing will take you out of his hands.
The passage also shares that when we receive his grace, we also receive a role or “calling” as a gift. And if we’re going to function effectively in this role, and have the necessary courage and power to make a difference, it’s going to have to flow from his grace. Paul says this calling is to be an apostle. I know that sounds really fancy and religious, or super spiritual or special, but it’s really not. It basically means one who is “sent out.”
Jesus gave us the gift and call to BELONG to him. And when we receive that gift we also receive our role, our responsibility, our calling as a part of the family, which is to be “sent out.” It’s not so much about being sent to some other “place” but it’s more about “going where you already are.” It’s about being “sent” into your everyday relationships and responsibilities with purpose and intentionality to call others to “the obedience that comes from faith.”
I would summarize by saying that our calling is to simply BELIEVE IN and BELONG TO Jesus. And if we are focused and faithful to that call, the OBEYING HIM will naturally flow from that. We’ll obey him because we know him, we trust him, and because we believe that he loves us and always has our best interest at heart. We’ll naturally introduce our friends to the One we believe and belong to, so they can BELIEVE him and receive the amazing gift of BELONGING to Jesus and his family. And when they do, they’ll receive their “calling” as well, and will be sent out with us to call others to BELIEVE and BELONG.
