The Call

Before we understand the importance of the call, we have to understand what preceded the call, why the call is so important. We have to remember the original design and pattern because God never changes his ways. His ways are perfect.

In Genesis 3, Adam was hiding in the midst of the trees of the garden from the presence of the LORD. Adam realized he did something wrong and he was trying to hide the evidence. God calls out to Adam

What is so amazing about the call, it never goes away, no matter how dark the forest gets because of the trees, it never hides you from the voice of God calling out to you.

I always misunderstood the call of God with the calling to ministry. I thought that way for years. The calling of God goes much more deeper than that.

Genesis 3:8-9

“And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God amongst the trees of the garden. And the LORD God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou?”

Adam was missing from the agreed upon place and time for a visitation from God. We fail to understand the significance of the calling of God because we compare the natural physical realm of realities to the spiritual realm of realities. In the natural physical realm, if we miss a scheduled appointment we either reschedule or cancel the meeting.

But in the spiritual realm of realities, when Adam was not at the appointed place, at the appointed time; God called out, Adam where are you? God was calling Adam to the meeting place.

We confuse the calling of God to the meeting place with the call to worship or the call to prayer.

There is a difference between visitation and the calling. In Genesis 3, God was conducting a visitation. The writer of Psalms 8:3-4, says such a visit was an awesome privilege compared to the rest of creation.

Psalms 8:3-4 (KJV)

“When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained; What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him?”

God comes to visit with man instead of man coming to God. This is comparable to the CEO of a major corporation coming to meet with personally with the firm’s janitor. In reality what transpired in the garden was God calling Adam back into position.

I know this calling of God back into place may not seem like much to a lot of people but there is so much connected to you hearing and responding to the call.

There is something so much deeper that transcends any and everything that we think is more important than the call

Ephesians 2:15-18

“Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all saints, cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers: that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of your calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints.”

There is a calling back into place but it is going to take revelation and wisdom to walk in it. Revelation in the sense that God gives us insight into his original plans and purpose. Wisdom in the sense that God gives us the ability to apply these principles in the midst of the pressures and demands of the day.

There is an inheritance that goes with the calling. According to Jesus, you may say, I’m rich and have need of nothing, but in reality, you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind and naked. Jesus said,

“I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eye salve, that thou mayest see.” Revelation 3:18

Again, there is that voice calling out…

“Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.” Revelation 3:20 (KJV)