But the Lord said to Ananias, “This man is my chosen instrument to carry my name before the Gentiles and their kings and before the people of Israel.” (Acts 9:15, NIV)
The road to Damascus resounds through time as the metaphorical moment when God lays hold of a person’s attention and then their life.
But in the beginning, there was no metaphor at work. God did enter history and supernaturally knock Saul of Tarsus to the ground, blinding him into submission. “Who are you, Lord?” Saul cried out. Something told Saul that this was God. Something else told him that maybe God was not who Saul had always thought him to be.
“I am Jesus,” the voice came back. And in that true moment, Saul was converted, changed, made a follower of Jesus.
We all need a little attention-getting in our lives. More than once lately I have seen or heard tell of a dreadful opening hole. Two balls out of bounds. Ouch. Four putts. Eek. Even, in the case of a very fine player, a quintuple bogey. Ugly.
Experience an opening hole like that and golf’s got your attention! Of course, you just might want to make your way back to the clubhouse and hope it starts raining on the way there—at least you’d have an excuse.
But when God calls your name, when God grabs your attention, you’ll want to listen. Saul was a Jewish leader. He knew the story of Jonah. He wasn’t about to back out on the Lord, no matter how hard the assignment. And Saul’s assignment was hard. After seeking out followers of Christ to destroy them and their “heresy,” Christ himself called Saul. He would be, God told Ananias in a dream, “my chosen instrument.”
When God calls, he confirms his calling in at least three ways: He unmistakably gets our attention. He shows us support from his Word. He causes others to recognize the calling and encourage us to move in it.
From such confirmation, we gain confidence. This is not some whim of our own, or some crazy voice in our head. In a flash and over time, God uses his methods to insure that we know what he wants us to do.
Saul’s own confirmation was worked out over years. He served. He taught. He shared his calling with Peter and James, who added their affirmation of this new apostle’s work. And that’s what Saul was, for he would be known throughout the rest of his days and into our time as “the apostle Paul.” What will you be known as, following the call God has given you?
—
Jeff Hopper
March 11, 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 5: Your Specific Destiny
Calling, Part 6: Sovereignty and Calling
Calling, Part 7: Looking Forward, Looking Back
Calling, Part 9: Aliens and Ambassadors
Calling, Part 10: Excellence in Our Calling
Calling, Part 11: Balance in Our Calling