His Love Frees

There was a man sent from God whose name was John. He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all might believe. He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light. (John 1:6-8)

I work near-voluntarily as a devotional blog writer and, separately, as a paid journalist. However, in the past I have applied for many jobs and I know what it feels like to keep spending hours filling in application forms and the downheartening pull of the heart when a negative response comes from a would-be employer. The first time I walked into an unemployment centre, to claim job seeker’s allowance, I walked straight out again. I had a degree from one of the top universities in the UK and couldn’t believe it had come to this. I joined the queue to get financial support from the government because no one would give me work! However, the next day, I had to return. I needed the money. In fact, I later became officially bankrupt. 

One of the most curious aspects of the job-applying process was when I applied to Christian organisations. I would pray about it, and felt a “sense” that God was opening the door. Then I had interviews and time and again the interviewer would later inform me that they had prayerfully decided I wasn’t the right candidate. I am not suggesting these interviewers and colleagues weren’t godly people. But it’s strange that after prayer, I felt the job was for me. And, separately, after prayer the employer had decided that it wasn’t. It begs the question, which one of us was listening to God? It seems the employer because they had the authority to refuse the job “after much prayer and reflection.” It made me uncomfortable though, as if they had a special red phoneline to God that I didn’t have – even though we were all brothers and sisters in Christ. How much was really decided by God and how much down to mere human agency? I don’t have the answer. However, there was a rhythm beating in the background with the Lord calling me out to his purposes. 

In the passage above, John the Baptist knew he was appointed by God to witness to the light. In the passage below, the apostle Paul knew his calling, “appointed a herald and an apostle and a teacher.” It wasn’t all a bed of roses though, Paul was clear that suffering was involved in the calling – a truth that still stands for Christians. John the Baptist was beheaded and similarly, sources say Paul was beheaded in Rome. Both men were imprisoned first and their bodies viciously flogged. Both men were loved by some and hated by others, because of their devotion to Jesus. Both men were also captured by the incredible grace of God, given in Christ “before the beginning of time.” The grace of the Lord was there BEFORE time. Meditate on that! 

Meanwhile and mindful of the examples given by John the Baptist, Paul and others who have walked with the Lord before us – how do we know our own ‘appointment?’ We are all called to love God and love others. We also need to practically provide for our means, as John did by gathering locusts and honey to eat, and Paul did by mending tents for money. Proverbs 15:22 says, “Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed.” Sometimes we only know our overall calling because of the wisdom of others.

For myself, there have been four directions in recent years, which have helped me know my calling to encourage others in the freedom that I am finding in Christ. Firstly, my late mentor John, the wisest of men, told me I was called to preach and write devotionals. Secondly, a few years ago I was sitting on a train trying to work as a technology journalist and failing miserably at it when a video pinged in my email inbox from a complete stranger in the USA encouraging me to keep writing devotionals. Thirdly, when I kept talking about “finding a job” my old school friends, not particularly interested in the Christian faith, told me to stop pretending to be like other people and that I wasn’t meant to find a conventional ‘job’. There was a different calling. They were very clear about that. Fourthly, after surviving a brain bleed and asking God, ‘what next?’ An editor contacted me unexpectedly to offer me journalism work. 

I think the Lord sends an array of messages to reassure us of our calling. And that can be for short or long seasons, and may even change depending on the times and contexts. However, it is all about living lives that testify simply to God’s love and employing the skills we have in whatever context we find ourselves in. How do we know our ‘appointment’? If we spend time personally with the Lord, loving him for who he is, he will guide us day by day, week by week, through months and years, according to his perfect plan for us.   

For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands. For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline. So do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord or of me his prisoner. Rather, join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God.  He has saved us and called us to a holy life—not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time, but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus, who has destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel. And of this gospel I was appointed a herald and an apostle and a teacher. That is why I am suffering as I am. Yet this is no cause for shame, because I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him until that day. (2 Timothy 1: 6-12)