Readings for today: Ezekiel 1-4
I remember when I was first called into gospel ministry. It happened almost at the same time as my conversion. I was a student at the University of Colorado in Boulder. I had recently become a Christian and I couldn’t stop telling others about Jesus. It felt like an internal pressure I couldn’t resist. A burning passion in my heart to share the good news. I wanted everyone to know about this Jesus who had changed my life forever. I led Bible studies. Engaged in apologetic debates with classmates and friends. I served in leadership in my campus ministry. Someone along the way asked me if I had ever thought about being a pastor. From that moment on, I couldn’t imagine doing anything else.
The years have not been easy. Pastors literally battle principalities and powers and spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly ream on a daily basis. We walk with people through the most difficult times in their lives. Addiction. Abuse. Depression. Suicidal ideation. Physical and emotional trauma. We are on call twenty four hours a day and seven days a week because tragedy never takes a day off. Along the way, we preach sermons, lead ministries, disciple believers, and try to find ways to shepherd a community of people towards the Kingdom. Those we love and serve struggle with sin. They often fight the will of God. Far too many abandon the faith altogether and we feel every loss viscerally. Perhaps that’s why pastoral ministry is considered by some measures to be hazardous to one’s health!
At the same time, pastors are not the only ones who struggle. Every single Christian is called by God. Called by God to share Christ. Called by God to serve Christ. It could be in business. Education. Politics. Construction. Sales. Homemaking. And each of these callings comes at a cost. It creates a burden we have to bear and it’s never easy. Not in my experience. Ezekiel understood the cost. He knew the call was not to fortune and fame. He would not be a social media influencer or attract thousands with his preaching. Instead, he would struggle and battle and fight for the soul of his people. It would be hard and he would grow tired and be tempted to throw in the towel. Listen to how God describes it, "He said to me, “Son of man, stand on your feet and I will speak with you.” As he spoke to me, a wind came into me and stood me on my feet, and I heard the one speaking to me. He said to me, “Son of man, I am sending you to the house of Israel, to rebellious nations who have rebelled against me; both they and their fathers have revolted against me to this very day. The people to whom I am sending you are obstinate and hard-hearted, and you must say to them, ‘This is what the sovereign Lord says.’ And as for them, whether they listen or not – for they are a rebellious house – they will know that a prophet has been among them. But you, son of man, do not fear them, and do not fear their words – even though briers and thorns surround you and you live among scorpions – do not fear their words and do not be terrified of the looks they give you, for they are a rebellious house! You must speak my words to them whether they listen or not, for they are rebellious.” (Ezekiel 2:1-7 NET) Whew. You mean I won’t lead a megachurch? You mean my “brand” will suffer? You mean I won’t be comfortable and well-esteemed and make a good living? You mean my kids won’t always make the right decisions? You mean I won’t always close the deal? You mean my caseload may be heavy? You mean I may be attacked for what I believe? You mean my business may not succeed? You mean I won’t always have success? No indeed. Quite the opposite. In order for Ezekiel to fulfill his calling, God is going to have strengthen him. “But the house of Israel is unwilling to listen to you, because they are not willing to listen to me, for the whole house of Israel is hard-headed and hard-hearted. “I have made your face adamant to match their faces, and your forehead hard to match their foreheads. I have made your forehead harder than flint – like diamond! Do not fear them or be terrified of the looks they give you, for they are a rebellious house.” (Ezekiel 3:7-9 NET) Notice there’s not talk of balance here. No talk of self-care. No talk of Ezekiel’s well-being. This isn’t about him. It’s about the call of God on his life and the sacrifice God is asking him to make.
Far too many people I know struggle with their calling. And I don’t want to diminish their pain in any way. The suffering is real. Trust me, I know. However, I do find too many hold unrealistic expectations. They make false assumptions that answering God’s call will not cost them personally or professionally. They make the mistake of thinking it shouldn’t impact their family life. They believe their calling can be accomplished in a forty hour work week and the church or their students or their business or perhaps even God has no right to demand more. They have a hard time with criticism. They almost can’t believe it when people walk away from them. They seem shocked when sinners show their true colors. I get it. I feel the frustration myself. But then I go to God’s Word. I read about the calling God places on people like Abraham, Joseph, Moses, Deborah, David, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Elizabeth, Mary, Peter, and Paul. I pay particular attention to the calling our Father placed on His Son. And I realize my expectations are themselves sinful and self-centered. My life is not my own. I was bought at a price and God has every right to use me as He so chooses. My job is simply to trust Him come what may.
Readings for tomorrow: Ezekiel 5-8