God Is Calling
One story we often look at regarding the call of God is in Luke 5:1-11. This is the account when Jesus called Peter to go out to the deep water and cast his nets. To make the story short, Peter, (Andrew, Peter’s brother and partner), James, and John all went out and caught so many fish that their boats –plural— began to sink. Then, Jesus said those unforgettable words, “Do not be afraid. From now on you will catch men.” When they got back to shore, these four disciples left everything (even their marvelous catch) and followed Jesus. No doubt about it, they were called by God.
Now, we know that Jesus is not going to take us fishing with Himself personally today to tell us what to do. We are pretty sure that we will not get caught up to God’s throne room for a call, like Isaiah. Furthermore, God will probably not get our attention with a burning bush, like Moses, a great fish, like Jonah, or a hungry angel, like Gideon. So, how then will God call us today? Will God speak to us with a voice in the night or give us a vision in a dream to show us our task? Will God send a glimmer of light to catch our eye so we know what to do and where to go? Will God give us a special feeling that directs us into His ministry?
Sadly, many Christians today are neglecting ministry because they are waiting for God to call in these various and far-fetched ways. In reality, God has already called all of us to His service. Even the Apostles did not need to wait for a miraculous catch to leave everything and follow Jesus. They could have read the Scriptures and been aware of Jesus’ call for them, even before the great catch. As it is written,
“‘Behold, I will send for many fishermen,’ says the LORD, ‘and they shall fish them; and afterward I will send for many hunters, and they shall hunt them from every mountain and every hill, and out of the holes of the rocks.’” Jeremiah 16:16