What does it mean to be called by God? Let us look at two similar examples from the Bible.
Exodus 3:1-12
Meanwhile, Moses was shepherding the flock of his father-in-law Jethro, the priest of Midian. He led the flock to the far side of the wilderness and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. 2 Then the Angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire within a bush. As Moses looked, he saw that the bush was on fire but was not consumed. 3 So Moses thought: I must go over and look at this remarkable sight. Why isn’t the bush burning up?
4 When the Lord saw that he had gone over to look, God called out to him from the bush, “Moses, Moses!”
“Here I am,” he answered.
5 “Do not come closer,” He said. “Remove the sandals from your feet, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.” 6 Then He continued, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” Moses hid his face because he was afraid to look at God.
7 Then the Lord said, “I have observed the misery of My people in Egypt, and have heard them crying out because of their oppressors, and I know about their sufferings. 8 I have come down to rescue them from the power of the Egyptians and to bring them from that land to a good and spacious land, a land flowing with milk and honey—the territory of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites. 9 The Israelites’ cry for help has come to Me, and I have also seen the way the Egyptians are oppressing them. 10 Therefore, go. I am sending you to Pharaoh so that you may lead My people, the Israelites, out of Egypt.”
11 But Moses asked God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and that I should bring the Israelites out of Egypt?”
12 He answered, “I will certainly be with you, and this will be the sign to you that I have sent you: when you bring the people out of Egypt, you will all worshipGod at this mountain.”
And then, in a later book we read –
Jeremiah 1:4-10
4 The word of the Lord came to me:
5 I chose you before I formed you in the womb;
I
set you apart before you were born.
I
appointed you a prophet to the nations.
6 But I protested, “Oh no, Lord, God! Look, I don’t know how to speak since I am only a youth.”
7 Then the Lord said to me:
Do not say, “I am only a youth,”
for
you will go to everyone I send you to
and
speak whatever I tell you.
8 Do not be afraid of anyone,
for
I will be with you to deliver you.
This is the Lord’s declaration.
9 Then the Lord reached out His hand, touched my mouth, and told me:
I have now filled your mouth with My words.
10 See, I have appointed you today
over
nations and kingdoms
to
uproot and tear down,
to
destroy and demolish,
to
build and plant.
Both prophets protested, saying that they weren’t capable of doing what God asks. But we have to remember that God sees with different eyes. God knows our strengths better than we do – even ones that are currently hidden. If God calls you to something, God knows best. It is important to remember that you will be able to do what God is calling you to do if you do it WITH God, not by yourself.
(Bible translations are from HCSB)
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