GodReflection: When God Calls

Is it possible that God has called out to you throughout your life and you have responded, even though you were unaware that He direct dialed your number to speak specifically to you?

In some ways that question came into greater focus when a cousin asked me a second question: “When was it that you first began to hold your current views?”

In an attempt at an answer I realized a specific time, place, person, or book could not be identified. Perhaps God has dialed into my wavelength at crucial times throughout my walk.

Who I am and what I believe today comes from a life process colored by my wiring, family, education, church, and probably specific people I’ve met along life’s road.
I’m starting to observe that God calls on a wide bandwidth.

It seems appropriate to revisit some of the ideas I’ve considered on my previous blog posts. At the same time, I believe the story of Scripture supports these observations.

I have come to see the calls from God upon my life have come through my success and failures in matching my DNA gift set to the tasks He set before me. He didn’t call me to be a policeman or a firefighter because I have zero aptitude for those jobs. Early in life it was obvious those jobs weren’t a match.

In addition, although I couldn’t see it at the time, I am confident God used family orientation and influence to craft the calls He has had upon my life.

Then there was education. Outside of God’s call, the educational opportunities placed before me throughout my life make zero sense for a boy born in the desert of New Mexico only thirty-five years after its statehood. College graduates on our family tree was rather sparse when I left high school.

I must not overlook church. I have no doubt that God has used those who make up the Body of Christ to get my attention and to assist from time to time with added clarity to set direction. Yes, at times God’s call upon my life has come through His people.

In an unexpected way, I suspect God has called me through friendships and writings of those who laid very little claim—if any at all—to an allegiance with Jesus.

It is fair to say that whether I realized it at the time or not, God used the broadband provided by all of the above to echo His call into my life. I’m sure there are other areas that I have missed.

To me the sad part of the story is there were many times I didn’t have the eyes to see that it was God who was opening and closing doors.

I am reminded of a section of Psalms 119:

I rejoice in following your statutes as one rejoices in great riches. I meditate on your precepts and consider your ways. I delight in your decrees; I will not neglect your word.
Be good to your servant while I live, that I may obey your word. Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in your law. I am a stranger on earth; do not hide your commands from me.

Wouldn’t it be neat to be more aware of God’s calls? Oh, I’m not only thinking about the “biggies”. Most of the time those are easy enough to identify. Were I to rewrite the Psalmist’s words for my here and now I think I would pen: Open my eyes that I may see Jesus and open my heart that I may recognize His call 24/7.

Are there specific times when you have distinctively heard His call? In hindsight, were there times or influence that came about in your life when God called and you made the right or wrong decision unaware of His presence?

Stay tuned.

Dr. Gary J. Sorrells
A GodReflection: God Calls on a Wide Bandwidth

Gary@Godreflection.org
http://www.GodReflection.org
http://www.MakeYourVisionGoViral.com