Called to Follow

One of the most profound and puzzling themes in sacred scripture is the call of God on ordinary and often under-qualified women and men to join God’s mission in the world. The old preacher’s mantra, “God does not call the qualified. He qualifies the called,” seems accurate when you peruse the Bible. In our texts this week, God taps multiple persons who seem unqualified at first glance: Isaiah in a time of mourning and grief, who is also profoundly self-aware of his sinfulness; a killer of the church turned pillar of the church in Paul; Simon Peter and his fishing partners James and John, whom other rabbis had overlooked; and David, the unconsidered son of Jesse who rose to the monarchy, fell to his own lusts, and became the author of beautiful sacred poetry that Christ followers across the centuries and miles still read for inspiration. All of these and a host of other biblical characters serve as witnesses to those whom God calls to follow.

• Read Isaiah 6:1-13. Have you ever had a transcendent encounter with God like Isaiah did? Describe it.
• Read Psalm 138. How have you seen God uplift the lowly and the humble? How have these experiences changed the way you live out your faith?
• Read 1 Corinthians 15:1-11. How do you pass along the message of good news?
• Read Luke 5:1-11. What is God asking you to leave behind so that you can more powerfully join Jesus in his mission in the world?