So Israel set out with all that was his, and when he reached Beersheba, he offered sacrifices to the God of his father Isaac.
2 And God spoke to Israel in a vision at night and said, “Jacob! Jacob!”
“Here I am,” he replied.
3 “I am God, the God of your father,” he said. “Do not be afraid to go down to Egypt, for I will make you into a great nation there. 4 I will go down to Egypt with you, and I will surely bring you back again. And Joseph’s own hand will close your eyes.”
Genesis 46:1-4
When God calls, it is specific to an individual and designed to fill what is needed, at that time, in God’s plan for the world. Like Moses, responses are often a variation of “are you sure you mean me, I stutter?” Or Ananias, “you must have made a mistake this time, God, that guy kills Christians!” It is always a free choice; the rich young ruler “sadly went on his own way.” The call often requires a response to something mysterious. Mary’s “yes” from just a girl changed the world forever. The call comes but the details, the how, often come later. Callings can begin subtlety as a strong desire, a persistent thought, or even a restless feeling of a need for change. It can come through something someone says, something read, or even a movie or play. An open and attentive stance assists us to better hear God’s voice and be ready to drop our nets and follow Him.
(c) 2018 Verlene Springer
