Those are the (in)famous opening lines used by James Stockdale, vice-presidential candidate for Ross Perot in the 1992 VP debate. While Admiral Stockdale was using them as a rhetorical device, the questions are ones that all Christians should be asking of themselves as we move through the Christian life.
This week marks the beginning of a new semester for me at Asbury Theological Seminary. One of my classes requires that we read "The Call" by Os Guiness. My friend Kurt has been recommending that to me for some time, and I never got around to reading it. But now I am reading and enjoying the challenge it lays out.
It encourages one to think that all of us have a call, not just the holy, the ministers, the missionaries or the monastics. And the call centers not around what we do, but who is calling us. That is a great thought for me this week. Focus not on what I think God wants me to do. Rather, focus on God, the one who is calling. The rest will become evident in the light of his glory and grace.
Pray for me that I will always view my calling as one Called by God, not one called to do something. The caller makes all the difference.
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2 comments:
I believe you will enjoy "The Call." It was required reading for me last term.
I really enjoyed The Call. One of the best small-group books that I've ever read. It's like The Purpose-Driven Life, but intelligent.
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