Coffee With The Lord

My “call to ministry” happened at a “kid’s kamp” (a Christian summer camp designed especially for children) in Western Montana (specifically Glacier Bible Camp in Hungry Horse, Montana).

I was 10 years old. During an evening camp service God powerfully made Himself real to me. We were invited to go to the “prayer room” located behind the “tabernacle” stage if we felt like we needed or wanted to pray. I did… and in that prayer time God made Himself very real to me – and “called me into the ministry.” In fact, I felt like if I didn’t say “yes!” to what I felt He was calling me to do, multitudes would be “lost!” … I did say “YES!” to God’s call that night…

Next morning during chapel… The camp speaker invited any of the children at the camp to share about anything they felt they had experienced with God the night before. I knew I had to share but was very timid and frightened. But I stood up and blurted out, “Last night I feel like God called me to serve Him in the ministry!” And then, because I couldn’t think of anything more to say, I sat down blushing and embarrassed.

When I did that, the camp director (a Montana “cowboy preacher”) stepped to the edge of the stage, looked out where I had sat down embarrassed, pointed at me and said, “Son, last night God told me He was calling you to serve Him in ministry!”

I thought of that experience again this morning during my time of “coffee with the Lord” as I read these words from Apostle Paul…

“Of this gospel I was made a minister according to the gift of God’s grace, which was given me by the working of His power… to preach to the Gentiles [the people of the world] the unsearchable riches of Christ.” (Ephesians 3:7-8)

Paul didn’t feel worthy of that call… and neither did I as a 10 year old child (or now at age 77)! And my determination in light of that call is best expressed in my “life verse”…

“I do not account my life of any value nor as precious to myself, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I have received for the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God!” (Acts 20:24)

“Oh GIVE THANKS to the LORD; CALL UPON HIS NAME; MAKE KNOWN HIS DEEDS among the peoples!  SING TO HIM, sing praises to Him; TELL of all His wondrous works! GLORY IN HIS HOLY NAME; let the hearts of those who seek the LORD REJOICE!  SEEK THE LORD and His strength; seek His presence continually!  REMEMBER the wondrous works that He has done, His miracles, and the judgments He uttered! (Psalms 105:1-5)  JUST DO IT!!

We’ve all seen the incredible pictures of “before and after” transformations … “NutriSystem” pics, makeover pics, “Greatest Loser” pics, the ads touting what a particular exercise machine will do for you and wondered… Wow, is that picture “Photoshopped?”

WELL THIS MORNING I READ EPHESIANS 2.1-10 IN MY BIBLE ABOUT WHAT “GRACE” CAN DO!!  And I can tell you, God’s grace can accomplish incredible things for people!  The transformation stories could fill a library!  The “before and after” pics would blow you away … You would barely recognize the people – AND THE PICS AREN’T “PHOTOSHOPPED!”  Perhaps you’re one of God’s “Grace Makeovers” … I know, I’m one of them!  ,,, Like “Eliza Dolittles” THAT GOD, NOT PROFESSOR HENRY HIGGINS, TRANSFORMED BY GRACE into people of distinction, character, and beauty.

Here’s how the Bible puts it…

“As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath. But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God — not by works, so that no one can boast.  For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works.”  (Ephesians 2:1–10 NIV)

God can do it!  I just read about it this morning and when I did, I wrote these words in the margin of my Bible, “Thank you Lord!”  He did it my life!!  He can do it in yours!