A young farmer was plowing his field one spring and he was kind of discouraged with farming. He tried growing cotton, but that didn’t do very well. Soy beans weren’t any better. And beans were a total failure. So he got to wondering about what he ought to do with the rest of his life. And as he steered his tractor up one row and down another, he uttered a fervent prayer to God: “Lord, if you have a plan for my life, please send me a sign, and I will obey.” Just then, the farmer looks up and sees the clouds in the sky rearranging themselves to form the letters “P.C.” “Preach Christ,” exclaims the farmer. “Of course!” Coincidentally, the little church where he attended was looking for a new preacher. So, he goes to the deacons and says he feels called to preach, and would they consider him. Reluctantly, they agree to let him give a sermon. Well, he’s terrible. His message was ill-conceived. His scriptures didn’t prove his points. And his delivery was long and boring. After the sermon, they met and tried to figure out a way to let him down easy without hurting his feelings. However, the young man is adamant that the Lord called him to preach. Finally, they ask, “Why, do you think the Lord is calling you?” “Well, I tried planting cotton, then soy beans and then beans. But none of the crops were successful. Then I asked the Lord for a sign and the clouds formed the letters PC – and I knew the Lord was saying to me “Preach Christ”. One of the deacons looked at him and said, “Son, I think you misread the call. The Lord was saying, “Plant Corn!”
A young adult recently inquired of me – “How do you know if God is calling you to full-time ministry?” I said I would write a Pastor’s Page on it and here it is.
When God wants someone to enter full time service for Him, He gives the call first and the burden second. (He doesn’t give the burden first and the call second.)
We see this all through the Bible.
Gideon – Gideon had no burden to rescue Israel from the Midianites invaders. He was a farmer threshing wheat when he got the call. Then Gideon went in obedience to God and the burden followed.
Amos – Amos had no burden to go up north and preach to the Israelites. He was a shepherd leading his sheep down in the south when he got the call. Then Amos went in obedience to God and the burden followed.
Philip – Philip had no burden to reach the Ethiopians for Jesus Christ. He was doing a revival meeting up north when he got the missions’ call. Then Philip went in obedience to God and the burden followed.
Paul – Paul had no burden to reach the Gentiles with the gospel. He was a Jew living the separated life in Jerusalem when he got the call. Then Paul went in obedience to God and the burden followed.
Peter – Peter had no burden to reach the Romans with the salvation message. He was having his devotions when he got the Centurion call. Then Peter went in obedience to God and the burden followed.
Perhaps the best illustration of (the call first and the burden second) is in the life of the prophet Ezekiel.
Ezekiel, First The Call (3:4,5) – And he said unto me, Son of man, go, get thee unto the house of Israel, and speak with my words unto them. For thou art not sent to a people of a strange speech and of an hard language, but to the house of Israel.
Ezekiel, Second The Burden (3:14,15) – So the spirit lifted me up, and took me away, and I went in bitterness, in the heat of my spirit. I came to them of the captivity and I sat where they sat, and remained there astonished (moved) among them seven days.
The same is true in my life. As a Christian, the one thing I never expected to be was – called to preach. And as an American, I had no thought of, let alone burden for, Canada and Canadians. But God called me, I went in obedience and the burden followed.
One well-known preacher writes. “When it comes to the call of God, perhaps nothing is more overrated than the burden. In reality, a good Christian should be burdened all the time for the all the lost. But burdens are subject to fluctuating emotional feelings. They can even be used by the devil to cause us to miss-read the will of God and result in harmful life-changing decisions. No, the call of God is always in this order: first the fact, second the faith, third the feelings.”
The bottom line? You don’t find God’s call, it finds you. (And as we were reminded – the most important thing is, if the call does come, to obey it.) In the meantime, just keep serving the Lord where you are.
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