for thought and meditation...

[Markopolo]

brrrrr... Still -8f

I heard the voice of the Lord, saying: "Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?" —Isaiah 6:8

When we talk about the call of God, we often forget the most important thing, namely, the nature of Him who calls. There are many things calling each of us today. Some of these calls will be answered, and others will not even be heard. The call is the expression of the nature of the One who calls, and we can only recognize the call if that same nature is in us. The call of God is the expression of God’s nature, not ours. God providentially weaves the threads of His call through our lives, and only we can distinguish them. It is the threading of God’s voice directly to us over a certain concern, and it is useless to seek another person’s opinion of it. Our dealings over the call of God should be kept exclusively between ourselves and Him.

The call of God is not a reflection of my nature; my personal desires and temperament are of no consideration. As long as I dwell on my own qualities and traits and think about what I am suited for, I will never hear the call of God. But when God brings me into the right relationship with Himself, I will be in the same condition Isaiah was. Isaiah was so attuned to God, because of the great crisis he had just endured, that the call of God penetrated his soul. The majority of us cannot hear anything but ourselves. And we cannot hear anything God says. But to be brought to the place where we can hear the call of God is to be profoundly changed.

have a blessed day!!!!

[USMC87]

Amen!

[Pine Baron]

Interesting message, I've got a lot to think on this.

[dverna]

God, or His partner the Holy Spirit, calls unto even the atheist who has no belief. I look back on my life and see where He tried and I did not listen. He did not give up on us...His patience is astounding. Yes, we should listen but often we do not. Yet He loves us.

[Blackwater]

Having an open heart is the first and chief requisite to come to know our Lord. When our hearts are closed, we cannot hear the Lord. When they're open, really open, He can get through to us. Some tend to "crack the door" to see if the Lord is telling them to do something they don't want to do. When He does that, some shut the door completely and pretend they never heard Him. What a loss that is for the person who does so! If they only thought about it, they'd realize the horrendous error in doing it that way. But they do the same sort of thing with many other things in their lives, too, and it CAN get to be not only a habit, but an entire way of life. Not seeing what we don't want to contend with does NOT make it go away. It just leaves it to fester and grow, until it consumes us with our own foolishness. I pity these people. But God, in His infinite wisdom and love and patience, continues to stand at the door of their heart until their lives are ended. What a wondrous and amazing Lord we serve! He loves us even when we're not being at all lovable! I confess, I cannot fully comprehend a love like this! But I keep trying. My wayward earthly ways keep me from fully "getting" a love like that, but maybe .... just maybe .... I'm getting closer. What a wonderful and loving Lord we serve!!!