The Call

Spring is on the way.  I look forward to being able to open the windows and let the fresh air, breeze through the home refreshing the stale air of winter.  One of my favorite aspects about spring is when I can leave the windows open, secretly, for the over night.  The crisp cool air is delightful to sleep in.  Each spring evening I crack the windows open secretly because my wife does not share my affinity for the cold air.  There is nothing like waking up to a cool fresh morning with the windows open…until…the crows begin to call.  “Caw, caw, caw, caw, caw, caw, cackle, caw…” I close the window answering their call with a cold hearted “NO.”

The nature of the “call” has changed dramatically with the advancement of technology.  In times past, a “call” may have begun with the heralding of a trumpet blast, followed by some royal instructions. Da da da dahhh…”here ye, here ye, the King would like to announce that fuel prices will increase by 150% over the next week or so!”  Such a call may be followed by boos and the throwing of rotten fruit.

I remember my first girlfriend, Monica.  She would frequently call me after school.  I would answer the phone, stretching the 25’ coiled cord to its limit which would just reach the top of basement stairs.  I would then close the door to have some privacy for our kindergarten conversation…which consisted primarily of…

“Hi.”

“Hi.”

“How are you?”

“Good, how are you?”

“Good, what are you doing?”

“Talking to you.”

“Yeah, me to.”

Followed by 10 minutes of silent breathing.

Now a-days it is the exact same…only via texting.

In my early years of ministry I was commissioned to perform a wedding ceremony out of town.  I was the first to arrive at the church for the rehearsal and 30 minutes later the wedding party and family had not yet arrived.  Having no cell phone at the time I went to the phone on the wall and began to read the instructions as to how to make an outgoing call.  I failed several times before I slowed down and tried to accomplish each detailed task.

To make an outgoing call, press 9

I pressed 9

Followed by 1

I pressed 1

Then the number.

I began to enter the number…1-218-63…a voice began to speak to me, “911 what is your emergency.”

I panicked and quickly hung up the phone.

That was a mistake.  Now I had no way to call them back to explain my mistake, without again dialing 911. The wedding party now began to arrive as did the police cars.  The wall phone began to ring. I took a deep breath and answer the call.  I explicated my error to the tensely toned dispatcher. I then went and spoke to the officers.  “Could I see your ID please?” asked one officer while the other stood studying me with one hand on his radio and the other resting on his pistoled hip. 

“Sir, why is your face so read? Are you hiding something or are you just sunburned?” asked the pistoled hipped officer.

I was released to go about my work.

 “What was that about?” the groom to be inquired.

“Nothing.”

“Have you been in the sun?”

Whether we acknowledge it in our lives or not, I believe that there is a call on our lives.  I believe that God is calling.  The phone is ringing and he wants us to answer.  We are being “called,” not necessary to do…but to be.  We are being called by him, to be loved by him, to love him, AND to express that incredible love to others.  Jesus is calling, maybe it’s time…to just answer the call and say yes to the love of God expressed through Jesus Christ. Galatians 1:1, 11-24 reveals a powerful picture of how God calls Paul and how he is calling us.