Our First Calling

So do not be ashamed to testify about our Lord, or ashamed of me his prisoner. But join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God,  who has saved us and called us to a holy life– not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. (2 Timothy 1:8-9a)

I would like to share something I learned today at a Focus on the Family event.  One of the presenters, Brian Siewert, talked about how we often tend to take our eyes off of our first calling and make our second calling primary.  Whether we are homemakers, policemen, teachers, pastors or scientists, we tend to think that our occupation is our primary calling.  But it is actually our secondary calling.  Our primary calling from God is “...to a holy life–not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace.”

He used the illustration of the members of a rowing team who sit with their eyes on the coxswain in the back of the boat and their back towards the finish line.  If any of them turns around and to face the finish line, it will cause all kinds of problems and impair their ability to function and to finish well.  They need to keep their eyes on the coxswain.

So it is with us.  We need to keep our eyes on Jesus.  Our occupation is behind us.  In Jesus’ love and grace, we work and we serve, but our eyes are on him, not on what we do.  When we take our eyes off of him, it causes all kinds of problems and it will impair our ability to function and to finish well.  Occupations, even those to which we may sense a direct call from God, can change.  But Jesus and his great love towards us never changes.  He is the One Great Constant in our lives and he will carry us through thick and thin. So…

Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. ( Hebrews 12:2)