“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations…”

— Matthew 28:19

We are called to something altogether different than the things of this world. We are called to advance the kingdom of Jesus Christ. We are called to be those who never lose sight of the fact that we have been made for eternity and that human beings are either saved or lost. They are on their way to eternal paradise or eternal perdition and it is up to us to bring to them that message.

I think of a lay minister of our church who had a clear focus in his mind of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus and was more continually faithful to that calling than perhaps anyone I have ever known. Before he died of Lou Gehrig’s disease, he was going out three times a week on Evangelism Explosion, even though someone had to carry him up the stairs in order to go into a home.

He was a man who went to the prisons five or six times a week, spent hours there sharing the Gospel. Because of his deteriorating health, the prison officials would no longer let this lay minister in without help for fear he might get hurt. So he always found a volunteer to accompany him. One day, co-author Jerry Newcombe was that volunteer and thus had his first experience visiting a prison.

This lay minister never lost sight of his heavenly calling. We each have a heavenly calling in Jesus. If you struggle to know your calling, ask the Lord for wisdom and seek out godly counsel for direction.

Lord, give me strength for today to find my calling and to fulfill it with joy. Please use me in Your vineyard…

BY GOD’S STRENGTH, WE CAN
BE FAITHFUL TO THE END.