Coffee With The Lord

When Jesus confronts you and calls you – and you respond to Him your life changes dramatically… HIS CALL IS “FOLLOW ME!” – cease your own pursuits, desires and wishes and become a devoted, obedient Christ-follower… BUT DOES YOUR VOCATION HAVE TO CHANGE?

I was reminded of that this morning during my Bible reading… Here’s Mark’s record of what happened to Simon (Peter), Andrew, James and John… “As Jesus walked beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. ‘Come, follow me,’ Jesus said, ‘and I will send you out to fish for people.’ At once they left their nets and followed Him. When he had gone a little farther, he saw James, son of Zebedee, and his brother John in a boat, preparing their nets. Without delay he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and followed Him.” (Mark 1.16-20 NIV)

NOW IT’S ENTIRELY POSSIBLE THAT THE CALL OF JESUS MAY INCLUDE A VOCATIONAL CHANGE … for many it has. But it doesn’t necessarily have to. In fact this is what Paul, the apostle said in 1 Corinthians 7.17-24: “Each person should live as a believer in whatever situation the Lord has assigned to them, just as God has called them… Were you a slave when you were called? Don’t let it trouble you – although if you can gain your freedom, do so. For the one who was a slave when called to faith in the Lord is the Lord’s freed person; similarly, the one who was free when called is Christ’s slave… Brothers and sisters, each person, as responsible to God, should remain in the situation they were in when God called them.”

So your vocation may NOT change… but for sure, it will change AVOCATIONALLY! In other words, some may continue to “support their habit” by fishing (or some other legitimate vocation) but their life pursuit – their mission, purpose and calling in life will become “fishing for people” (casting the net to bring lost people to Christ).

One of the things I love to do is craft personal definitions of Scriptural concepts. I’ve done that with the word “Wisdom” and trust it will be a blessing to you. Here it is…

To the definition on the slide below, I would add the following: “… “Wisdom” results in a God-honoring lifestyle, wholesome values, a deep sense of purpose, a thirst for knowledge, right decisions and effective strategies. Wisdom impacts and influences all aspects of life: The physical, mental, emotional spiritual, material, social, public and private dimensions of life.

I have dear friends and family members who recently have received frightening news from their medical doctors – young or older – it doesn’t matter. The challenge has been, what to do – how to respond as a person who trusts God but also has a healthy respect for the medical profession?

Some panic… Some go into denial… Others despair… But what should a Christian do – a person with a healthy trust in the Lord? What should their default response be?

This morning during my time of “coffee with the Lord” I read a partial response to that circumstance… PRAY!!! Pray passionately! Pray believing! PRAY!!! (And if the frightening diagnosis has come to a friend or family member… PRAY!!!

Here is what King David said in similar circumstances…Psalm 30 ESV)

“O Lord my God, I cried to you for help, and you have healed me. O Lord, you have brought up my soul from Sheol (the grave); you restored me to life from among those who go down to the pit!

“Sing praises to the Lord, O you his saints, and give thanks to his holy name! … Weeping may tarry for the night, but joy comes with the morning.

“To you, O Lord, I cry, and to the Lord I plead for mercy! What profit is there in my death, if I go down to the pit (the grave)? Will the dust praise you? Will it tell of your faithfulness? Hear, O Lord, and be merciful to me! O Lord, be my helper!

“You have turned for me my mourning into dancing; you have loosed my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness… O Lord my God, I will give thanks to you forever!”

So here’s the deal… If I get bad news from the doctor… I’m going to listen to the doctor’s diagnosis and advice (I’m grateful for those in the “helping community” after all)! But I’m also going to PRAY – PRAY FERVENTLY – and trust God to help and heal… He can (and does) you know!