Our Call

This morning I am reading from Ephesians 4:1-7, 11-16 NIV:

[1] "As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. [2] Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. [3] Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. [4] There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called ; [5] one Lord, one faith, one baptism; [6] one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. [7] But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it.

[11] So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, [12] to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up [13] until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. [14] Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming. [15] Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. [16] From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work."

A couple of things stand out:

1) We were called. Paul says this a few times in the course of the first few verses. It is so important to remember that we are called. The important point is that this call was initiated by God. In other words, He wants us. This was not a call we received by accident, but a call that was planned and initiated by God.

2) This 'call' is something that we all have received. This is not just a call to professional ministers, or the five fold ministry listed later. It is, instead a call that we all receive to join the Body of Christ, and to take our place. As Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 12, we are all part of one body, and although we don't all perform the same function, we are all important, and worthy of honor.

3) Paul's opening encouragement is that we live our lives worthy of the calling we have received. The NASB translates this statement as "... implore you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling..." The Greek could be translated to make the most of the opportunities to become the person you were called to be!

So in summary, we are ALL called by God, with a particular purpose and place, and we should endeavor to make the most of every opportunity to become the person we were meant to be, in God.

Amen Lord - helps us to hear and respond to Your call.