Called

Matthew 4:19 – And he said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men”

This was the call to the first two disciples, Andrew and Simon, who lived in Bethsaida. We know that Andrew believed in who the Messiah was because, up until this point, he had been a disciple of John the Baptizer. He had also brought his brother, Simon, to meet him. So, when Jesus called to them on the shore that day, they knew exactly who he was and there was no hesitation at all, for immediately they left their nets and followed him.

When I was very young, the phrase ‘called of God’ usually went hand-in-hand with those in missionary service across the world, so in my mind, being ‘called’ meant going somewhere very far away. As a little girl, that frightened me somewhat as I wondered, ‘Where will God send me? Will I be able to go where he tells me? What if I go to the wrong place?’ Tough questions for such a young mind. As I got older, I learned, much to my relief, that God’s ‘call’ could be to do a whole variety of things – he was simply calling me to follow and I simply had to trust where he would lead.

The exciting part is discovering what God believes you are capable of because it usually pushes the boundaries of what you imagine that to be. Did I ever imagine that I would be writing daily thoughts on Bible verses and that real people would actually be reading them? Did I think that I would write songs and be invited to different churches to sing? Absolutely not, but as scared as I was (way back when), I trusted God’s direction. And it really is exciting to embark on new ventures and to uncover new possibilities.

A life lived for God is never boring. When Jesus says ‘Follow me’, he wants you to trust him completely. Has he been calling you lately? Have you felt a pull in a certain direction but fear and uncertainty are holding you back? Don’t dismiss what he puts on your heart to do, no matter how small you think it is. He may not be calling you to go across the world but he might be calling you to go across the street and check on a neighbour or drop a card through their letterbox. A small gesture can have a huge impact – just think of the boy who gave up his lunch.

Jesus called the twelve and then sent them out, not only to spread the good news but to look after each other, encourage each other and to show God’s love and mercy to everyone. He called them to action; He calls you to action too.

Trust his leading, push the boundaries, discover your potential and enjoy the journey.