THANKFUL FOR DIVINE CALLING

“And I THANK CHRIST JESUS our Lord who has enabled me, because He counted me faithful, putting me inti the ministry” – 1 Timothy 1:12

Believers should emulate the Apostle Paul in being THANKFUL for DIVINE CALLING: “And I THANK CHRIST JESUS our Lord who has enabled me, because He counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry” (1 Tim.1:12). The New International Version says, “I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, that he considered me faithful, appointing me to his service.” Paul was a Model of Thankfulness for Divine Calling. As he wrote this epistle to the young pastor at Ephesus, Timothy, Paul expressed how awesome it was that Jesus Christ Himself had called him – a chief sinner, first to salvation, and then, to minister as an apostle, enabled with the grace and gifts to serve Him.

Paul was thankful to the Lord Who had called, empowered, strengthened, and equipped him for holy service; Who counted him faithful, and put him into the ministry, despite his awfully sinful past and ignoble background as “a blasphemer, a persecutor, and an insolent man” who “obtained mercy” (v.13). It is all by God’s Mercy, Grace, and Favour. We ought to be thankful for similar reasons. In a world, and even a Christian culture in which some people think they hold the keys to who is considered qualified, we must thank God that He qualifies by Grace and Mercy, all who respond to His calling regardless of what others may say. He calls us in spite of our past failures and present frailties.

We must be thankful that God considers us faithful even when we stumble because He knows our heart’s desire to be faithful. We must be thankful that God sees us as a collection of possibilities because He sees what He has created. Even when the world sees nothing because they are focused on the holes and hollows left by what is missing, God views us as His beloved children as He looks at all that is present by His design. That’s why we must be careful how we judge and view others. Our words based on what we think is missing in another person can easily harm and damage that person who may very well be exactly as God created and intended them to be. We must be thankful that even when hurtful words are hurled at us, God does not believe them and instead calls us to reject the lies and listen more intently to Him.

Yes, we were not worthy to be called by Jesus Christ unto His salvation. We were all lost sinners and enemies of the cross. Yet, God can take a no body and make them a somebody who can tell everybody about the Somebody who can save anybody: “And the grace of our Lord was exceedingly abundant, with faith and love which were in Christ Jesus” (v.14). He not only called us to Salvation; but also, to His Service!