“By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going.”

Hebrews 11:8, NIV

When I was seventeen God whispered my name, and I gave my heart and life to Jesus Christ. As a young person I didn’t find it hard to walk the aisle of that small country church and trust God with my eternity, so why as an adult is it sometimes difficult to trust Him with my days?

This week we’ll look at Abraham’s initial encounter with God, examine God’s call in his life, and discover some truths that we can apply to the Lord’s call in our own lives—even in the everyday.

I Choose You

“You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last.”

John 15:16, NIV

“Red Rover, Red Rover, send Starr right over!”

Perhaps you too have played the game of Red Rover on the school playground. If not, I’m sure you can relate to the desire to be chosen for a team. As a child, hearing my name called meant that others saw me as an asset to their team and not a liability. But above all, it meant I wasn’t going to suffer the embarrassment of being the last one chosen.

All of us want to know that our lives matter. Today’s text reveals that we matter to God and that He chooses us to accomplish specific tasks that have eternal value. Ephesians 2:10 states that God created us “to do good works”—works that He assigned prior to calling us. Our hearts long to experience those works and find fulfillment in the midst of them. 

In a race, all of the runners begin at the same point—the starting line. In the believer’s life, the starting line is found at the foot of the cross. It is there, with a call to salvation, that God invites us to believe in Him (John 3:16). He follows that with a call to fellowship; He invites us to draw close to Him and remain in His presence (John 15:5). Finally, He initiates our call to serve, to partner with Him in numerous and varied tasks. Everyone’s starting line is the same, as is our final destination, but the tasks God lays out for us are specific and multifaceted, tailored to our personalities and our giftedness (1 Peter 4:10).

Most believers want to be used by God, but when He calls, are we ready to partner with Him? Or do we have our own agendas in mind?

God’s Word tells us that “the eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him” (2 Chronicles 16:9, NIV). Can you wrap your mind around the fact that God wants to use you to accomplish His purposes on the earth? When His eyes roam the earth seeking someone for a specific task, will He zero in on you—on me? Are our hearts fully committed to Him?

Tomorrow we’ll visit Ur and look on as Abram encounters the God of glory. In the meantime, consider the following question: When God calls me, how do I respond?

• Yes, Lord, but I need to serve where I’m comfortable.
• Not sure, Lord, but give me the details, and I’ll get back with You.
• Yes, Lord, I’ll go, but can I drive?
• Yes Lord, You lead, and I’ll follow.

Your traveling companion,

Starr