What does the Call of God feel like?

Last week we asked ourselves what the voice of God sounded like. We heard a voice of terrifying power resounding through the psalmist's words; we heard a voice crying out for justice and righteousness through the words of Isaiah; we heard a still, small persistent voice calling each one of us to a life of discipleship, like the voice Jesus heard when he was baptised.

This week I want us to think a little bit more about that third voice - the voice that calls us to a life of discipleship. And I want to ask another question, "What does the call of God feel like?"

Isaiah knew he had been called by God. Do you remember the way he describes that calling in Isaiah chapter 6? He is at worship in the Temple when he senses God's presence filling the place. Suddenly it is as though he were transported to the throne of God...

In the year that King Uzzi'ah died I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up; and his train filled the temple. Above him stood the seraphim; each had six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. And one called to another and said: "Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory." And the foundations of the thresholds shook at the voice of him who called, and the house was filled with smoke. And I said: "Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts!" Then flew one of the seraphim to me, having in his hand a burning coal which he had taken with tongs from the altar. And he touched my mouth, and said: "Behold, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away, and your sin forgiven." And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, "Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?" Then I said, "Here am I! Send me." And he said, "Go, and say to this people: 'Hear and hear, but do not understand; see and see, but do not perceive.' Make the heart of this people fat, and their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their hearts, and turn and be healed." (Isaiah 6:1-10)

From the start, Isaiah knew that his calling was going to be rough. God tells him right from the start that nobody will listen to him. As the years pass, Isaiah finds this to be an incredible burden to bear. In the passage we heard just now, Isaiah cries out: "I have laboured in vain, I have spent my strength for nothing." (Is. 49:4)

Isaiah is faithfully preaching the word of God, he is calling the people to repentance, he is explaining to them the way ahead - God's way - but nobody is listening. It's not that he is being physically attacked or persecuted most of the time, it's worse than that, he's being ignored. He's being drowned in a sea of apathy. NOBODY IS LISTENING TO ME GOD! WHAT'S THE POINT OF IT ALL?

To Isaiah, the call of God so often feels futile and pointless. The call of God is unrewarding. It feels like a life sentence of being ignored and feeling useless.

And God says something quite extraordinary to Isaiah. He says this: "It is too light a thing that you should be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob and to restore the preserved of Israel; I will give you as a light to the nations that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth." (Isaiah 49:6)

Let's just rewind the tape a bit here. Isaiah is complaining to God that none of his people are listening to him, but God says, in effect, because of the things you say and do in my name, not just the people of Israel, but all the nations of the world will be bathed in light.

Isaiah is complaining to God that the people of Israel will not listen to him. And God says, in effect,  that the people of Israel are just the start of it, they are just small potatoes. Because of what you say and do in my name, "Kings shall see and arise; princes, and the they shall prostrate themselves; because of the Lord, who is faithful, the Holy One of Israel, who has chosen you." (Is.49:7)

And many have seen in these words a foreshadowing of the life and ministry of Jesus. His calling is quite clear - a voice from heaven as he is baptised, and almost immediately, in the wilderness, it is clear that his ministry will not be one of international acclaim. The way ahead is not in crowd-pulling miracles and spectacular stunts, nor is he to be number one in the popularity stakes. Rather he is to tread the way of the cross - the path of rejection and apparent failure. Yet, "Kings shall see and arise; princes, and the they shall prostrate themselves; because of the Lord, who is faithful, the Holy One of Israel, who has chosen you." (Is.49:7)

How many times do you feel like a useless and ineffective servant of God? How often do you despair because nobody is listening, lives are not being transformed, the Kingdom of God is not blooming vigourously here in Hartlepool? Then God would remind you, as he reminded Isaiah, that you are part of something much bigger than yourself, you are like those who faithfully plant acorns - you are working for something that in this life you may never see in its fullest glory.

What does the call of God feel like? To Isaiah, it felt like a life-sentence of being ignored and feeling useless. But to the first disciples it felt quite different.

Some of them had been disciples of John the Baptist, others were fisherman at work on the lake, others had regular jobs - like Levi the tax collector, others were political activists - like Simon the Zealot. And into their lives, from nowhere comes Jesus.

They are drawn to him. It's as if they can't help themselves. There's something about him that causes them to drop what they're doing and follow him. The descriptions give us a sense of urgency, of impulsiveness, a sense of excitement and expectation. Let's go now - we can ask questions later....

And sometimes the call of God does feel like that. Sometimes it is irresistable, unquestionable, unmistakeable. Sometimes it draws us along - we go places we never dreamed we would go, we embrace people we never dreamed we would meet, we speak words which seem to come from beyond ourselves, we gain the strength, the wisdom and the courage to face situations we would normally run a mile from. And God seems so close, pulsing through our veins, beating in our hearts.

What does the call of God feel like? To Isaiah, it felt like a life-sentence of being ignored and feeling useless, to the first disciples it felt wild and exciting, full of hopes and dreams and expectations.

To the Christians at Corinth, it felt like they had found the life they were made for. Paul writes to say that he thanks God for all the ways they have been enriched and for all the ways they have grown as God's people living and working in the city Corinth. But don't be deceived, for this is the stroke before the spank. This is the sugar coating on the pill Paul would have them swallow. Paul goes on to point out their grievous divisions - how they have allowed themselves to get carried away by their own importance - as if being called by God or believing in a particular way made you more important in God's eyes; as if one kind of calling could be judged better than another.

And Paul has to remind them that God chooses those who the world considers weak to shame the strong and that God calls those who the world considers foolish to shame the wise, God chooses those who are despised by the world so that no human being might boast in the presence of God. Paul has to remind them that they are not called to be special, they are called to be God's servants. Theier calling will not bring them power, prestige, and popularity, but the way of the cross.

So what does the call of God feel like to you?

Let us pray:

Loving God, you call each one of us. When we have worked hard at our calling; when we have cared and loved, preached and taught, when we have fought for justice and struggled for peace, and yet the world seems just as dark, encourage us, as you encouraged your servant Isaiah, that we are planting acorns in your name and that one day the tree will give shade and shelter to many. Loving God, you call each one of us. When your call seems alive and vibrant, immediate and urgent, help us to respond as your disciples did - going places we had never dreamed of, touching lives in ways we had never imagined, shedding your light in the darkest places. Loving God, you call each one of us. When your calling makes us feel important; when your calling causes us to divide ourselves into factions; when your calling causes us to look down on others whose experience is different, bring us up sharply and lead us gently back to the footmarks of our Lord, who trod the path of your calling all the way to the cross. Amen