In the thralls of the 1960s, a song became an anthem among the youth and especially those who were/are The Beatles fans. The song Help joined the minds and hearts of the former independent thinkers, independent believers, and independent life-goers. “We Americans love liberty too much…We Americans are a go-ahead people not to be stopped by anyone or by anything,” said by John Finch. But lyric by lyric the song conveyed a message that independence and self-reliance is misery and a failure, a show of youthful naivety or ignorance. And within the song, you can hear the cry of help.
One common trait that runs contrary to those who dwell in the land of independence and isolationism is the longing for community. It isn’t the pleasure of people nearby or the joining or forming bonds—albeit that is another matter and topic perhaps for another time—but it is knowing that when I call out, a positive or affirming response is given. Today with social-media gurus, podcasts, the continual flow of everything being political, and a desire for less informational conversations but more persuasive/propaganda-driven, we desire for people to hear our call and join our rallying. We crave validation by our peers…even if us and our peers are the minority or even if us and our peers are polar different (or even wrong) in our united beliefs.
This calling or calling out runs throughout the Scriptures. An example, it is a select person that is separated for a specific purpose or destiny. But if we are not careful, we remove ourselves out of scriptures and believe that only specific people can be used or called/Called (out) and thus exempting ourselves from purpose and also from accountability and the responsibility. Attributed to Smith Wigglesworth, he said, “God does not call the equipped, He equips the called.” God has an awesome promise and plan for our lives and it is a Christian obligation as well as a privilege to be a part of that plan. God could have used angels to fulfill His will. God could have chosen, as Paul states, the mighty, noble, and wise. But God desired then and now to use people like you and I. Why? Because then it can be said that it isn’t a work of man—man’s charisma, man’s knowledge, man’s wisdom, man’s money, man’s strength—but it is a work of God. And for that work, God calls out. God calls us out of sin (Isaiah 1:18). God calls us to a purpose and plan (2 Timothy 1:9). God calls us to declare His word and make disciples (Matthew 28:18-20).
But another call rang forth that gripped the heart of the Apostle Paul (Acts 16:9 NLT), “That night Paul saw in a vision a man from Macedonia. The man stood and begged, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” Paul was a Christian—a Christian of Christians, or an apostle of apostles—who willfully and gladly went from place to place (recorded in the early verses of Acts 16) but it was not until verse 9 did a true call break through the failure, setbacks, and struggling work.
What is that call? Perhaps it is a call for hope? Perhaps it was a call for something better than what was present in their lives? Perhaps it was a call for salvation? Perhaps it was miracles? Perhaps it was for love and forgiveness?
Today, what is upon the lips of this lost world? Further, what is on the lips of Christians? A portion of scripture—a singular verse—recently read truly caused my heart to stop and rest upon it. Like much of the Word of God, God desired for me to not treat this verse as just another verse or to casually progress on. And then when my wife read it aloud herself in her reading of the Word—and without her knowing—this verse again troubled my heart and this verse required much deeper looking into. Genesis 4:26 says (emphasis added), “And as for Seth, to him also a son was born; and he named him Enosh. Then men began to call on the name of the LORD.” Then men? For me and my thoughts, I cannot help but to go to 1 Samuel 3:1, “…And the word of the LORD was rare in those days; there was no widespread revelation”. From Adam to Enosh—grandfather to grandson—the heart of man didn’t desire to call to God. God was there; God spoke. But it was then that men began to call on the name of the LORD. And from chapter four of Genesis to chapter twelve and throughout the passing and passages of scriptures, yes we see God calling and speaking to many a person, but it seems in certain times and seasons that man desired to call on the name of the LORD. Was this calling unto salvation (spiritual or even physical)? Was this calling to involve God in their lives. As the Bible progressed in those early chapters of Genesis with one person after another begetting, only a small few stand out to had been noted of God or noted by God. Sadly, it was the calling to man—and not God—which caused man to create an idea of the Tower. The decadence and depravity of man was filling the whole world at that time. And yet as diamonds in the rough, there were those who called on the name of the Lord.
Today—as it was back in the time of Enosh, the early years of Samuel, the time of Paul, and present day—what is the call uttered from our lips? Is our calling on the name of the Lord bound to material things? We call it blessings. Is our call to obtain or gain fame, position, and esteem of man? It used to be that men did great events, and much more so when done for and in God; now it is men desire to be great to be great among men. And because of this blindness, Christians and even preachers have left their Calling for dreams of avarice. 2 Peter 1:9-10 says (emphasis added), “For he who lacks these things is shortsighted, even to blindness, and has forgotten that he was cleansed form his old sins. Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble”. 2 Timothy 4:10 says, “for Demas has forsaken me, having loved this present world…”
Or is (or ought to be) our call for relationship? Not necessarily the call toward the help/strength from others (man with man, woman with woman, or those of marriage). But for our call for a personal and intimate relationship with the One who gave all to be with us. Will our gratitude-filled heart’s desire to be with Him even if all we have been given is just only the blessed gift of salvation? Will our gratitude-filled hearts that are also filled with faith trust in the Lord for what He has promised when He has shown us both in scripture and in our lives what He has already done? Will our destiny be one filled with His plans and promises or filled with our own desires? Revelation 3:8 says (Jesus speaking), “…I have set before you an open door, and no one can shut it; for you have a little strength, have kept My word, and have not denied My name.” God sets before us all a door? Do we desire to knock? Do we call unto Him our sincerest greeting? Jeremiah 33:3, “Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know.” And Psalm 91:15-16, “He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him and honor him. With long life I will satisfy him, and show him My salvation.” Will we, like those men after Enosh, call on the name of the LORD?