Daily Office Readings for Tuesday of the First Week of Lent: Year2
Morning, Psalm 45; Evening, Psalms 47 and 48:
Genesis 37:12-24; 1st Corinthians 1:20 to 31; Mark 1:14 to 28:
“Consider your own call, brothers and sisters: not many of you were wise by human standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth.” (1st Corinthians 1:26)
Paul must have been looking into the future and right at me when he wrote these words. In school, I was not wise by human standards, I am not powerful or of noble birth. And yet, I discern a real sense of God’s call on my life.
When I look at God’s call in the Bible I realize that there are certain characteristics that such a call consists of. We have many calls from God in scripture: Deborah, Rebecca, Moses, Elijah, Amos, Mary, Mary Magdalene, John the Baptist, and Paul, only to name a very few. There are many more in the Bible and a great many more beyond the Bible. God calls both male and female. In every case, there are human risks involved, even human death.
God’s call is inconvenient, untimely, cost money, and is always for the benefit of others, not the one called. If you see these things in what you think you are called by God to do, then it really is from God. But know this, You can’t really lose. God will keep you in eternity no matter what happens to you. God wins every time.
Today we remember Frederick Douglas, Social Reformer: 1895. You can read about Douglas at http://www.satucket.com/lectionary/frederick_douglass.htm
Please keep up your thoughts and prayers and hopes for Ukraine and Russia, Israel and Palestine, and our schools.
As we listen to what the Spirit of God is saying to us, let us live to love and serve, and to teach others to love and serve, while pondering anew what the Almighty can do. John
onewhoponders 