I wanted to use this day as a day to offer some quips and quotes from differing sources. Somehow I got away from the scriptures but today will use this time to offer some food to reflect on when it comes to call. I will be preaching about call based on the Isaiah and Luke scriptures. I have had time to reflect on what it means to be called and to follow one's Christian vocation. I wanted to share a definition that I found in a book titled "Crazy Talk: A Not-So-Stuffy Dictionary of Theological Terms by Rolf Jacobson.
"Vocation-The thing you do that was given to you to do in the way you do for the benefit of those you are doing it for.
Got that? Vocation--not to be confused with vacation (taking a break from things) or vacuation (getting stuff out of your system)--is the the thing(s) you are called by God to do with gifts and talents God has given you, to which you commit your passion and excitement and energy for the sake of God's creation.
The word comes from a Latin term, vocare, meaning "calling"--which implies a caller: God. God calls more than just pastors. God calls each of us, gives us many gifts, and gives us a lift up by means of the Spirit. actually, we all have more than one vocation. Our Christian vocations include our jobs, our roles as family members, our roles as friends, neighbors, as citizens, and so on. Vocation is all about loving the neighbor and serving in God's name (179)."
The question we need to answer is not whether or not we are called as we all are, but rather are we willing to act on our call.
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