“Dear woman, why do you involve me?” Jesus replied. “My time has not yet come.” (John 2:4, NIV)
May I ask you a couple of deeply existential questions? First, where do you play golf? Second, why?
I know, you’re probably shaking your head, thinking, Those aren’t existential questions that cause us to consider our entire meaning on earth—uh, right?
The truth is that the count of existential questions is probably far more numerous than we can imagine. That is, God has his hand in many corners where we don’t see him, usually because we’re sure we’re cruising along just fine on our own.
But what if I put the question like this: Do you play golf for reasons other than trying to see how many strokes it takes you to put the ball in the hole?
Likely, you would say, “Sure,” followed by any number of reasons. You might tell me that you play because your doctor ordered the exercise or your wife ordered you out of the house. You may play because it’s the best way to get your kids talking to you or because you have no other friends in the world like the friends you play golf with. These are all significant reasons, even existential.
But here’s something else we’re seeing more and more of at Links Players: people playing golf because it gives them a place to build friendships that lead to conversations about Jesus. It’s a purposeful approach that requires a “higher calling” to move one’s focus from scoring or recreating to true personal ministry.
One of the most important aspects of finding such a calling, however, is to wait on the Lord’s timing. We see this even in Jesus’ own ministry. He knew that a time was coming when the fullness of his ministry and identity would be revealed, but he didn’t dare get ahead of God—even right up to the moments before his first miracle, when he told his mother, “It’s not my time yet.”
You may be waiting on your calling, asking, “What specific work does God have for me?” Don’t rush this preparatory time. If you jump into a suspected calling before God’s timing you will find yourself frustrated, unready, even off the mark altogether. This is an especially important warning for those young in life and young in life with Christ. Let God take you on the full journey. Keep those feet moving in faith, but don’t get consumed or discouraged by the delay in your destiny; his time for you will come.
—
Jeff Hopper
February 18, 2013
Copyright 2013 Links Players International
The Links Daily Devotional appears Monday-Friday at www.linksplayers.com.
OTHER DEVOTIONS IN THE CALLING SERIES
Calling, Part 1: Identity First
Calling, Part 2: Response and Readiness
Calling, Part 3: Is It God?
Calling, Part 4: Lacking a Caller
Calling, Part 6: Sovereignty and Calling
Calling, Part 7: Looking Forward, Looking Back
Calling, Part 8: God’s Confirmation, Our Confidence
Calling, Part 9: Aliens and Ambassadors
Calling, Part 10: Excellence in Our Calling
Calling, Part 11: Balance in Our Calling