Back in July I was laid off from the company where I had worked for over 24 years. I knew it wasn't going to be an easy time but I was determined to make the best of it.
So there I was, sitting in my own wilderness, with plenty of time to think, pray, and meditate on where my life was going from there. I asked God, "So what would you like me to do?"
I listened. And he answered: "Embrace your cross." Embrace my cross? What did he mean by that?
Actually I knew darned well what he was asking of me. He's been asking for years. Just as Jacob had struggled with God (Genesis 32:24-32), I had been struggling with God; he wanted me to do something and repeatedly I had said, "No," while coming up with every excuse imaginable to justify my reasoning.
But one doesn't reason with God - instead, God reasons with you. To make a long story short (I will post the rest of the story another time), God has been calling me into ordained ministry.
It was after his leading me to embrace my cross that I become more and more aware of his calling. When the opportunity presented itself for me to let go of any spiritual burdens, I knew that I had to give up my resistance. And so I did.
Wouldn't know it? Immediately upon giving up my rebellion and surrendering whole-heartedly to God's will, the leading became even stronger!
It wasn't long before I came to embrace my cross - and to accept God's Call to ordained ministry.
I talked to my wife, my pastor, and several others whose counsel I trust. I've never felt more right about doing something as I do now.
My friends, I covet your prayers as this new journey begins.
And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ... - Ephesians 4:11-12 (NKJV)
So there I was, sitting in my own wilderness, with plenty of time to think, pray, and meditate on where my life was going from there. I asked God, "So what would you like me to do?"
I listened. And he answered: "Embrace your cross." Embrace my cross? What did he mean by that?
Actually I knew darned well what he was asking of me. He's been asking for years. Just as Jacob had struggled with God (Genesis 32:24-32), I had been struggling with God; he wanted me to do something and repeatedly I had said, "No," while coming up with every excuse imaginable to justify my reasoning.
But one doesn't reason with God - instead, God reasons with you. To make a long story short (I will post the rest of the story another time), God has been calling me into ordained ministry.
It was after his leading me to embrace my cross that I become more and more aware of his calling. When the opportunity presented itself for me to let go of any spiritual burdens, I knew that I had to give up my resistance. And so I did.
Wouldn't know it? Immediately upon giving up my rebellion and surrendering whole-heartedly to God's will, the leading became even stronger!
It wasn't long before I came to embrace my cross - and to accept God's Call to ordained ministry.
I talked to my wife, my pastor, and several others whose counsel I trust. I've never felt more right about doing something as I do now.
My friends, I covet your prayers as this new journey begins.
And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ... - Ephesians 4:11-12 (NKJV)
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