Easter Devotional | 2019 - Day 16
I Am Called
By Brent McFadden
“As He was going along by the Sea of Galilee, He saw Simon and Andrew, the brother of Simon, casting a net in the sea; for they were fishermen. And Jesus said to them, ‘Follow Me, and I will make you become fishers of men.’”Mark 1:16-17
I was 31-years-old when the Lord said, “Coaching is not what I want you to do anymore. I want you to work in my church.” I had felt the call in my college years, but it came to fruition in June of 2012. Ironically, I was coaching when I received the call from the pastor at my church asking if I would consider interviewing for a position.
When the first disciples encountered Jesus they also had a job as a fisherman. It was their occupation, what they did for a living. Fish to Simon and Andrew were what kids are to a teacher or tax law is to an accountant.
But when Jesus spoke to them by the sea that day, they were given so much more. Instead of having just a job, now they had a calling. Simon and Andrew and the other disciples spent three years under the teaching of Jesus. They didn’t know it at the time, but they eventually would be responsible for the spread of the gospel throughout the earth. They had a profession, but Jesus gave them their calling.
God gives all Christians the same calling. When you accepted Jesus—when you made Him Lord over your life—His ministry became your ministry, and the same calling He gave the disciples He gives to you. Jesus says, “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit . . .”
It’s true that God does not call everyone to vocational ministry, but He calls every Christ follower to be ministers. The calling Jesus places on our lives gives purpose to our work. Our work might be how we make a living, but our calling is how we make our jobs have an eternal impact. How we merge the two determines our success in living out God’s plan.
Merging your calling and job together means asking yourself if Jesus is in your work. Is He in the decision-making processes? Is He in your daily business workings? Do your co-workers or employees see Jesus in you? These are all questions we must ask every day knowing that because He lives, we have been called.
Questions for Thought
- Read John 21. From this story, when Jesus is in one’s work, what is the result?
- What are ways we can merge our work and calling? List several ways you can join your occupation and calling together today.
Daily Challenge
Invite a co-worker to lunch (you pay) and ask them what they believe about God. Be prepared to share with them who Jesus is and what He’s done in your life.
Author Bio
Brent McFadden
Brent’s life calling involves helping others athletically and spiritually, so he loves using sports as a vehicle to reach people for Christ. Brent and his wife, Bethany, have been married since 2015 and are the proud parents of two little girls.