Beauty in Going

When we are being called to something, often times, our first instinct is to fight it. But when God calls us to something, He already knows the outcome of what you're being called to. He knows how it will play out, He knows every part of it all. Nothing surprises Him.

In Ezekiel, Ezekiel is told to go to the Israelites, but it comes with a warning.

"He then said to me: 'Son of man, go now to the people of Israel and speak my words to them. You are not being sent to a people of obscure speech and strange language, but to the people of Israel—not to many peoples of obscure speech and strange language, whose words you cannot understand. Surely if I had sent you to them, they would have listened to you. But the people of Israel are not willing to listen to you because they are not willing to listen to me, for all the Israelites are hardened and obstinate. But I will make you as unyielding and hardened as they are. I will make your forehead like the hardest stone, harder than flint. Do not be afraid of them or terrified by them, though they are a rebellious people.' " -Ezekiel 3:4-9

Over and over again, Ezekiel is told that the Israelites are a rebellious and stubborn people. Over and over. This part of Ezekiel is convicting, for me, because it'd be a deterrent for me. If I was being told these people weren't going to listen to me, then what's the point? Why would I go? Often times, that's why we disregard callings, ignore them for as long as we can, because we don't see a point. We don't see the "light at the end of the tunnel" per se.

“Son of man, listen carefully and take to heart all the words I speak to you.11 Go now to your people in exile and speak to them. Say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says,’ whether they listen or fail to listen... “Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the people of Israel; so hear the word I speak and give them warning from me. When I say to a wicked person, ‘You will surely die,’ and you do not warn them or speak out to dissuade them from their evil ways in order to save their life, that wicked person will die for their sin, and I will hold you accountable for their blood. But if you do warn the wicked person and they do not turn from their wickedness or from their evil ways, they will die for their sin; but you will have saved yourself." -Ezekiel 3:10,17-19

God has a plan. He knows how these people are, but He cares, even if it's just one person who hears and listens. And He knows who He is calling, what their capabilities are, and what He made them for before He calls them to anything. I am amazed by Ezekiel's obedience despite the warnings he was given about how stubborn the Israelites were. Because I think most of the time, we respond like Moses in Exodus.

"But Moses said to the Lord, 'Oh, my Lord, I am not eloquent, either in the past or since you have spoken to your servant, but I am slow of speech and of tongue.' Then the Lord said to him, 'Who has made man’s mouth? Who makes him mute, or deaf, or seeing, or blind? Is it not I, the Lord? Now therefore go, and I will be with your mouth and teach you what you shall speak.' But he said, 'Oh, my Lord, please send someone else.'" -Exodus 4:10-13

We are called, yet we beg and plead for a different calling. We ask that God would send someone else in our place. The problem is: He considered you before He called you. He knows who He's calling, He chooses you to go, because He knows you. When we doubt our capability, in reality, we are doubting God's ability to use us, even in the midst of our inabilities. Where we see a wall, He sees the other side. Where we see a valley, He sees the mountaintop. In the lows, we often have tunnel vision, we don't look at the other side, we don't look at the mountaintop. But He does. We are in a day and age where everyone thinks that everything they want to do is "Gods calling." But I am not using this phrase lightly, I do believe everyone has a calling on their life, but we must be careful to not use this to excuse sin, allow doors He is closing to stay open (or vice versa), and to not let this be something we use for everything. The calling God has on your life will be guided by Him, but in order to be guided by Him, we must be spending time with Him. Yes, you are called. Called to something greater than yourself. Called to be a disciple, child, and heir. Called to sacrifice the old for New, leave everything and follow Him. A calling that will be evident when we spend time with Him, callings that He will guide us to and through. At times, we may feel inadequate and insufficient. We may want to cry out "Oh, my Lord, please send someone else." But He equips. He knows you, strengths and weaknesses. He knows and He equips. He is able. Where we fail, are weak, or feel incapable, He is able to use what we think is unusable. Yes, even when we chalk ourselves up as unusable, He knows who He's called. When Moses feels inadequate and unable, the Lord responds, "Who has made man's mouth? Who makes him mute, or deaf, or seeing, or blind? Is it not I, the Lord?" Do you know who He is? Do you know that He is able? We are all called. To different people, places, and lives. But we're all called, the question is, will we go? Will we believe and trust He is able?