Working Your Calling

What has God called you to?  I am called to serve in Haiti as a Missionary Evangelist.  The word Evangelist comes from the Greek evangel or "good news."  The Scriptures remind us that the bad news is we are sinners who are alienated from God and deserving of eternal punishment.  But then comes in the good news or evangel.  God has sent his very own Son into the world to die in place of His people.  His sacrifice on the cross pays the penalty for our sin and his perfect life is put to our account through a great exchange.  We are saved by the work of another.  That is good news indeed.

My calling is to take that gospel to Haiti.  My calling means I preach, teach and serve others in growing the church of Jesus Christ.  The only difference between my work and that of a pastor of a church in the United States or Canada is that I live out my calling in a foreign land.  We take our cue from Acts 9 where the apostle Paul and Barnabas are set apart by the church in Antioch to go to Asia Minor (modern day Turkey) to begin new churches through the preaching of the good news.

But not everyone is called to serve as a missionary.  God has called people to other vocations or jobs in life too.  Those callings are not less important than the special call of someone who preaches the gospel.  We have two guys working in Haiti this week who are called to serve by welding.  Their calling is to support the work of the missionary (the Hopps) by fabricating some doors.  It may seem like menial work but it is important nonetheless.  Greg and Ben are using the gifts God has given them and are working in their calling.

The fun thing about working out my calling is that I don’t just preach.  I am also called to be a husband, a father and a brother to those in my family and in the church.  As a missionary my calling has included all types of tasks.  I have been a chauffeur, a mechanic, a boat driver and a guest house manager.  Being flexible has been the key and I can thankfully say that God has given the grace and skill to do whatever my calling requires.