Friends,

 

I heard two lessons in church this weekend: both about disciples being called.  One was Jonah.  He heard God's voice and ran the other way.  A second was from some guys fishing.  They heard God's voice through Jesus and followed immediately.

Which one are you?  Which one am I?

 

Yesterday afternoon was filled with football games on TV at my house.  So Drew and I spent most of the afternoon sitting in front of the games (and watching the Patriots get ridiculously lucky...again).  As the day rolled on with a projected seven straight hours of football, it's hard to shut everything else down.  Chores still needed to be done, calls returned, dinner made, etc.  So every once in awhile I needed to ask Drew to "do" something besides watch the games: "Drew...put your wash away...clear your dishes...stop wearing the ugly Patriots jersey...please help your Mom with setting the table."  All requests came with the same slow, not-so-thrilled response.  However, later in the night as I learned that a friend of mine was watching the rest of the second game at Dave and Buster's, I thought Drew might enjoy finishing the night there with some wings and root beers.  So I asked, "Drew, how about we go watch the rest of the game at Dave and Buster's?"

 

Before the full phrase had left my lips, the kid had his sneakers and fedora on (don't ask me about that one...what 10 year old doesn't wear a fedora?) and was in the back seat of my car.

 

A very different response to Dave and Buster's than the other requests.

 

Jonah responded to God by going in the other direction...because he didn't want to go to Nineveh...he heard bad people lived there...he didn't want to be God's rep.

 

The disciples dropped everything, even their poor dad, and immediately left to go follow Jesus.

 

Maybe the difference is...the disciples knew they were going to do something they loved?

 

Drew loves sports oriented restaurants with 1000 TV's and unlimited soda and a fist full of over stimulation.  He does not like doing chores.  Does that mean he shouldn't do them?  Not at all.  But don't we all need to be immersed in the things we love every so often?  And not just for the fun things, but for the work and vocation and "called to follow me" things as well.

 

Christ says, "If you continue in my word, you are truly my disciples; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free." John 8:31-32

 

I wonder if the disciples found their freedom in that call from Jesus?  I wonder if the reason they had their sandals on and were in the back seat of the "Jesus caravan" so fast was because in some way, they knew that this was their passion...to be able to "continue in the Word" that they wanted to be involved in for so long and now finally follow a Rabbi that would teach them more?

 

I believe we get this call to us everyday.  It might sound like an alarm clock, or your morning devotions, or a kiss from your wife or kiss as you wake up, or a greeting from your coworkers, or a hello from the teachers or professors as you start the class.  However it sounds, it's a daily call to find our passion and joy that helps us continue in the Word to serve and touch the needs of the world.  Your calling from God is the intersection of your deepest passions and the deepest needs of the world. 

 

I find that intersection on an island off the coast of Haiti with my friends Leon, Nora, Timmy-Zu and Junior as together with many across the country, we build a school and orphanage with education, housing and clean water for those that don't have any.  I won't be there today...in person, but I will be in spirit...hearing that call from God to throw on my shoes and get in the back seat.

 

Where is your intersection?  And how...when called to it...will you respond?

 

Whether your the immediate disciples or the slower to turn Jonah, each makes an impact.  It just strikes me as more fun to respond to the call to serve the world that you are passionate about...

 

like a 10 year old kid at Dave and Buster's with unlimited root beer and a couple hours of football.

 

Lord, help me find that intersection and respond to it.  Amen

 

Still in One Peace,

Steve

 

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Steve Biegner

Lead Servant of Lutheran Charities of Western NY

716.632.2623