Your Sacred Calling

I have a difficult time trying to figure out what my sacred calling is, let alone to attempt to tell all of you what your is. Apparently Moses' sacred calling was to murder a man then become the leader of God's divine exodus from Egypt. That kinda blows the whole "you have to live according to this law in order to be 'really' used by God" philosophy. What about Saul? He was a pharisee living by the Law as closely as possible, yet his heart was so distant from God's when he murdered those who believed in Christ. His testimony was still used by God though, in a spectacular way at that!

God looks at the heart. This is an important thing for us to remember when we try to figure out what our sacred calling is. After our own exodus from legalism, my daughter went through a difficult phase of frustration about the amount of 'work' we put into the place we left, not to mention the amount of money we gave that only furthers their legalism in that community. A dear friend encouraged us with these words:

"God knows, that in your heart, you were giving to HIM..and THAT is sacred to Him. Even if the church misuses your offerings, they are sacred to Him and He will deal with them in his way."

I think we get confused at what God's 'calling' is and maybe we tend to look for a calling that is not our own. Priscilla's calling is not our calling. She was called upon to teach Apollos the way of Christ more perfectly. {Acts 18} Lydia's calling was to sell purple linen and lead her household of maidens in worship by the river. {Acts 16} But it's not my calling to sell purple linen. I wouldn't imagine Esther thought her 'calling' would be to submit to a forced arrange marriage to a non-Jewish king either. She was forced to be unequally yoked, but it was indeed God's calling for her. 

There have been varying things that God has placed on my heart over the years, that I do believe were His calling for me..at that time. Just because one thing was my calling for a time, doesn't mean it's everyone else's calling as well. We each have a unique path that He takes us on, to deepen our walk with Him. It's such an exciting adventure and completely by faith. Faith is stepping out where you see no place to step.

I used to think God's sacred calling for all women was to stay home, have lots of children, serve in the church, and never work outside the home. If that were true, then why did Lydia have an outside career? I used to think women couldn't teach men, but if that were so then why was Priscilla involved with teaching Apollos the way of Christ more perfectly? My conclusion is this..we aren't all made of the same cookie dough and we weren't all meant to be cut with a cookie cutter, least of all the same cookie cutter.

Only God knows our sacred calling. I believe he reveals it to us in His time and in His way and perhaps we don't understand all the depths and facets of His calling for us while we're still here on this earth. I don't think we were all meant to be wives and/or mothers. I don't think we were all meant to follow the same denomination. I don't think we were all meant to fit into the perfectionism of legalism. 

But I do know this:

{Galatians 3:28} There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.

I believe He calls us for different things in this life and I don't want to presume to know what God's calling is for you. I'm not the Holy Spirit and therefore it is not for me to tell others what God's sacred calling is. Even some of the early church didn't accept Paul's sacred calling.

{1 Corinthians 9:2} If to others I am not an apostle, at least I am to you, for you are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord.

Not all women will become wives and it's fruitless to attempt to yoke yourself to a school of thought that you are meant to marry. You'll go your whole life feeling like a failure as a single woman without a husband. To our knowledge, Mary Magdalene never got married, but she served the Lord with gladness.

Not all women were meant to be mothers and it's heartbreaking to live a whole life feeling that you aren't blessed by God with children. 

Sure, it's a blessing to be married and to have children, but these are not the only ways in which God blesses us. To some women, being single and childless is their blessing so they can do so much more for the Lord in other ways that us married women with children can't do. Even Helen Keller never married nor had children but her contribution to the world will always be known and highly favored by multitudes. Her sacred calling was to be blind and deaf, and God sent Anne Sullivan to be her teacher and companion for many years. She furthered her education and gave so much to so many. Her 'calling' has remained a sacred legacy to the world.

Sure there are wonderful blessings to being at home and having children, but it's not the only calling and blessing God has for us. My desire in writing this is to free you from the yoke of legalism that binds you to someone else's sacred calling.

You're already living out your sacred calling, it's called life.

~Sis