I was thinking today about vocation, what it is that God has called me to do in this life. Once I thought that to "really" serve God I needed to be a pastor or a teacher or something along those lines. Then, for a time, I thought that a monk would be the best way to serve God, I could dedicate myself to prayer and study of the word, how better to serve God than that? Then I thought I should be out helping the poor or the homeless or something of that sort.
All of that was prior to returning to the Lutheran church. Since I have been attending Messiah Lutheran I have gained a new understanding of vocation. Vocation is not necessarily what we choose to do for God but what God has chosen for us to do for our neighbor.
Our vocation rightly is what we are doing in our daily lives. It is what we do for our family and our employers. It is what we do as we interact with all of those God sends into our lives each and every day. We have no need to go looking for "things to do for God" because He sends people to us and puts us in just the place he needs us to be.
I can see this when I realize the good that has come from having Lora and Serenity move in with us here in Dublin. What greater vocation could I have than loving my daughter and granddaughter and taking them to church where they hear the Word of God and where Serenity has been baptized and thus is now a child of God! I don't need to go out and look for a homeless person to help, I have family to care for :-)
This does not mean that it is not good to help the poor, if God has made that your vocation. Pastors are vital, if that is your God given vocation. My mistake had been to think that these high visibility things were the primary ways that we could serve God. The truth is God doesn't actually need our help, instead He gives us family and coworkers and friends who really do need our help each and every day. They need us to love them, to care for them, to pray for them. That is a legitimate vocation.
Much as I love theology and study I am not really suited for any sort of public ministry, but I am quite suited to work for a living and to showing love to my family and those I encounter each day.
I may be the Angry Gnome but at home and at work I need to be Larry, father and grandfather. At work I need to be Larry, dedicated concierge.
Well, I have finally realized that God is in control and He has me where He wants me to be! I am in my vocation and don't need to seek out anything else. If He has something new for me it will be made clear to me in God's own time.
All of that was prior to returning to the Lutheran church. Since I have been attending Messiah Lutheran I have gained a new understanding of vocation. Vocation is not necessarily what we choose to do for God but what God has chosen for us to do for our neighbor.
Our vocation rightly is what we are doing in our daily lives. It is what we do for our family and our employers. It is what we do as we interact with all of those God sends into our lives each and every day. We have no need to go looking for "things to do for God" because He sends people to us and puts us in just the place he needs us to be.
I can see this when I realize the good that has come from having Lora and Serenity move in with us here in Dublin. What greater vocation could I have than loving my daughter and granddaughter and taking them to church where they hear the Word of God and where Serenity has been baptized and thus is now a child of God! I don't need to go out and look for a homeless person to help, I have family to care for :-)
This does not mean that it is not good to help the poor, if God has made that your vocation. Pastors are vital, if that is your God given vocation. My mistake had been to think that these high visibility things were the primary ways that we could serve God. The truth is God doesn't actually need our help, instead He gives us family and coworkers and friends who really do need our help each and every day. They need us to love them, to care for them, to pray for them. That is a legitimate vocation.
Much as I love theology and study I am not really suited for any sort of public ministry, but I am quite suited to work for a living and to showing love to my family and those I encounter each day.
I may be the Angry Gnome but at home and at work I need to be Larry, father and grandfather. At work I need to be Larry, dedicated concierge.
Well, I have finally realized that God is in control and He has me where He wants me to be! I am in my vocation and don't need to seek out anything else. If He has something new for me it will be made clear to me in God's own time.
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