But when he who had set me apart before I was born, and who called me by his grace, was pleased to reveal his Son to me, in order that I might preach him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately consult with anyone;
-Gal 1:15-16
- God calls us all the same way. Paul tells us that he was called “by his grace.” I have long used the acronym Gods Riches At Christ’s Expense, and I think it still holds true. We are called to salvation through the work of Jesus on the cross. It is not as though I am saved by one particular aspect of the cross, so I can’t claim the 23rd crack of the whip, or my 2.4 seconds of agony bested upon Jesus… No, we are all saved by the totality of the work of Jesus. His Grace is for all people in the same way. If you are weary, come to Jesus, just like the rest of us, we are all called.
- We serve God in different ways. But this universal call does not manifest itself in the same way for everyone. In fact, it is different for everyone. Not because the call is different, but because we are different. God has made us all uniquely and we all serve him in the same way. We are called to live our lives for him. Do you love to speak and teach? Then that’s what you do for Him. Do you love to sing? Guess what you should do. Are you a Doctor, a contractor, a lawyer? Serve Him with who you are, not who you hope you would be.
- God equips us for our service. Paul did not consult with anyone, because He didn’t need to change what he was doing (for the most part) he simply needed to change his motivation. He still would serve God by teaching and proclaiming the truth, it’s just that now he understands that it’s about Jesus. Aside from the sin in our lives, God does not always call us to change our “what we do” simply “why we do it.” He has made you who you are and we are called to serve Him from that place. Why else did He make you as you are, but for Himself! Serve him today!
