Trusting in the Lord's Call

How Will It Be? from Quest Church on Vimeo.

This sermon by Pastor Gail Song Bantum, from Quest Church in Seattle, WA, has spoke deeply in my heart. Why is that? Because it challenged me to search my heart and ask myself whether I have been limiting God's sovereignty over my life on the basis of my life circumstances.

The Birth of Jesus Foretold
26 In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, 27 to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. 28 The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.” 29 Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. 30 But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. 31 You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, 33 and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.” 34 “How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?” 35 The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called[a] the Son of God. 36 Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be unable to conceive is in her sixth month. 37 For no word from God will ever fail.” 38 “I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.” Then the angel left her.

Just as Mary in Luke 1:26-38, the mother of Jesus, herself acted in brief disbelief upon the message of an angel directly sent from God, I feel like I often times feel God calling but render it impossible to follow due to circumstances. In particular, I feel I'll likely have a problem following God's call unless that call involves the prospect of social upward mobility to the point of it becoming idolatrous. That's so sad. We are often so materialistic that whatever we ask or expect of God has to do with frivolous gain. I think I need to ask God to give me his vision and have the boldness to follow his plan in life boldly.