Know Your Calling

Read the Text: Acts 20

Memorize the Text:   Therefore, having overlooked the times of ignorance, God now commands all people everywhere to repent, because he has set a day when he is going to judge the world in righteousness by the man he has appointed. He has provided proof of this to everyone by his raising him from the dead. (Acts 17:30-21)

Consider the Text: Acts 20:24

The apostle Paul knew his calling from the Lord. He did not desire to achieve his desires, but he constantly sought to fulfill God's calling. In Acts 20, Paul made his intentions known by giving a farewell speech to the believers in Ephesus. He wanted the believers to know his passion and desire to challenge them to understand the need to seek to fulfill God's calling in one's life. Paul noted three critical traits to knowing your calling in Acts 20:24.

First, Paul held a PROPER VIEW OF HIMSELF. The apostle declared, "I consider my life of no value to myself." Paul knew that nothing he accomplished in his power would benefit his life. He understood that his value and worth rested in his relationship with the Lord and in living out the calling of the Lord in his life. This placed the value of his worth on who Paul was in Christ and not in and of himself. When we desire to find actual value in life, we need to find our worth and value in the Lord. Thus, we need to understand our false value when our worth does not come from the Lord. 

Second, Paul UNDERSTOOD HIS PURPOSE. Paul stated, "my purpose is to finish my course and the ministry I received from the Lord." The apostle knew that the purpose of God's calling did not mean to start the journey alone but that the journey needed to be completed. Paul journeyed with the goal of the finish in mind because racing alone would not fulfill the journey. Instead, Paul had to see the completion of the journey placed before him by the Lord and pursue that goal at all costs. Like Paul, we need to see the journey God calls us to and battle to complete the task and not abandon the journey in unfaithfulness. Thus, we need to seek the journey, see the goal, and pursue it at all costs.

Third, Paul knew the MESSAGE TO PROCLAIM. Paul detailed the message of his journey, "to testify to the gospel of God's grace." Paul’s journey centered around the expansion of God’s kingdom. The expansion needed to center on the message of the gospel and not on the ways or events of humanity. Paul did not desire to build a following on a personality but simply proclaimed the message of God’s grace. This message declared the ability to receive eternal life through Jesus Christ and that this offering came as a gift not deserved but offered anyway. Today, we need to make sure the message we proclaim is the message of God’s grace. This message must define the journey we travel in obedience to the Lord.

God calls each of us to a task that promotes the carrying out of God's will. The journey we travel must be guided by the Lord and not structured by our intentions. As we understand the purpose God calls us to, we find the ability to proclaim the message of the gospel and fulfill God's purpose for our life. As a result, we can come to the place to encourage others to fulfill God's calling as we seek to fulfill his calling.

This blog is part of the Coffee and Quiet Time with Jesus Devotional Series found at equippingfaith.com. Join the journey of reading through the New Testament this year. More information can be found at equippingfaith.com.