Wednesday, July 17, 2019

SABRINA What is your calling? Webster’s definition of calling is “a profession or occupation,” but the one we most commonly think of is “a strong urge toward a particular way of life or career.” Christians identify God as the source of that strong urge, so the word calling sometimes seems too big for us. In Mark 10, however, we hear of a different calling. Jesus, after speaking to a large crowd, is on His way out of town when a blind man, Bartimaeus, shouted to Jesus to have mercy on him. Many tried to quiet him, but Jesus told his disciples to “call him.” They did as Jesus asked, and the blind man jumped to his feet and ran toward Jesus. Bartimaeus didn’t let anything deter him from Jesus’ calling. He didn’t let self-doubt about his social status or his physical hindrance stop him. He simply answered his master's call. Sometimes doubt keeps us stuck; wondering if we really heard God or just imagined it. We can even doubt God would want to use us. Another stumbling block to calling is self-doubt, feeling certain that someone else is better or more equipped. Comparison kills calling. Our first calling is to simply respond to Jesus and go to Him just like Bartimaeus did. While our faith leads us to accomplish good works, our first and highest calling is simply to be near to Jesus. When we do that, everything else — all the doing — begins to fall in place.