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Today in the 31-Day Challenge, We read…

“Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 3:13-14

Most people think “calling” is a specialized activity that God has laid upon someone. It’s their holy job. But, that’s not what God intended. In his book “The Call”, Os Guinness defines calling this way: “Calling is the truth that God calls us to himself so decisively that everything we are, everything we do, and everything we have is invested with a special devotion, dynamism and direction lived out as a response to this summons and service.”

If we truly seek to understand calling, we must recognize that it is about a lifestyle of total surrender to God, not merely our acts of service. God doesn’t want what we can do for Him, He wants us.

 

The Day 2 Challenge is to consider Guinness’ definition of calling and reflect on the following questions:

  1. How is my life manifesting this kind of calling? How is it not?
  2. What areas of my life have I yet to fully turn over to God as a response to such a calling?

Follow Through

Here are some further resources, tools, and blog posts to help you tackle today’s Challenge more effectively.

The Heavenly Vision

One last quote from Oswald Chambers.  This one comes out of Paul’s life in Acts 26:19. “If we lose ‘the heavenly vision’ God has given us, we alone are responsible…

Common Sense

Here’s another “thought provoker” from Oswald Chambers.  This time it’s about vision and calling. “It is easier to serve or work for God without a vision and without a call,…

Significance

One of the places I follow is WorkLife.org. They have a number of resources, including an email that contains a devotional thought and questions to use in small groups. I...

Obstacles to Answering

A fellow Antioch Journey participant sent in a note after completing Day 2 on calling. They wrote: "Calling is a means to for us to participate with God to fulfill...