Call to Me

Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know.’ Jeremiah 33:3

Excitement builds in our house as Gracie is on the verge of turning thirteen! Truthfully, the excitement is all hers. Although I love watching her grow and getting to experience the wonderful person she is, I miss the sweet, obedient little girl who echoed my instructions and did them without question.

We’ve entered the season of repeated expectations and unsolicited comments. On one such occasion of snarky comments, I reminded her that I have already survived four teenagers and I will survive her. Her survival, on the other hand, is questionable. (I’m joking, of course.)

The statement, “I forgot,” is also a common phrase in our home these days. It’s not an unusual answer to most questions. In fact, I am often surprised when it isn’t the answer. Add this with the unanswered call of her name. Along about the third or fourth time, I call her with a very stern, GRACIE! She’ll come running, not realizing by this time my blood pressure has risen to meet my volume. Ahhh, and it has only just begun.

I’m so glad that when God says, ‘Call to Me, and I will answer you.’ There is no question about it; He hears us and He answers.

Many times I have called to God, and He has answered me. I can’t say the answers were all what I thought they should to be, nor were they all instantaneous. But, He answered.

I remember a time I was asking God for direction regarding my career. It was a “should I stay or should I go” question. I wanted to be obedient to what God wanted for my life. So, I fasted and prayed for three days. At the end of the three days, I knew God was asking me to take a leap of faith. There was no question in my mind. God answered my prayer, and He gave me direction.

He doesn’t stop at just hearing or answering us, but it says He will show us things — great and mighty things. When we search for our answers in Him, He gives us a vision for the life He has for us. We just need to be obedient to Him to live it.

I was probably more surprised than anyone when God first started nudging me to write. Writing was, and still isn’t my strongest asset. In the beginning it would take me hours to write a few paragraphs. Grammer was a foreign beast. I bought books, researched proper format structures, joined critique groups, attended writing conferences, and more. At times my head feels like it is going to explode!

The vision God has given me is so much greater than I would have imagined for my life. Is His vision easy? No. Do I want to throw my computer across the room sometimes and quit? YES!

It's in these times I need to remind myself that I am not doing this for me. I am doing it to fulfill the calling God has placed on my life.

Life hasn’t always turned out the way I prayed it would, but God knows what I have needed to draw nearer to Him. Sometimes it’s the things I prayed for, and sometimes it’s the things I prayed I’d never get. Either way, God continues to show me great and mighty things. I just need to ask Him.

Lord, thank You that You hear us when we call out to You. Thank You for the vision You have placed in each one of us to fulfill Your purpose for our lives.