Called

Mark 16:14-16 Afterward he appeared to the eleven themselves as they were reclining at table, and he rebuked them for their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they had not believed those who saw him after he had risen. And he said to them, "Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.

A calling is not something we talk about much these days. We put it up there with commitment and covenant. Nice to think about, but difficult to do.

Being called is difficult when you don’t possess the faith to believe. The followers of Jesus had seen and experienced the teachings and miracles and even heard testimony to the resurrection. Apparently, that was not enough. It wasn’t until Jesus came and appeared to them that they got it. In the appearance, Jesus rebuked the things that separated them from being called--things like unbelief and hardness of heart. We could use words like fear and doubt. In reality, it is anything that would keep them or us from going and proclaiming.

Being called is a unique experience. It is the deep awareness of passion for the activity to which we have been called. Being called is something that is life-changing and life- giving; being called is frightening and terrible. Yet, when you are called you cannot escape it. You might be able to ignore it or even subdue it, but you are still called. In fact, I believe that everyone is called. God calls all of us in one way or the other. The choice we face is to follow our calling or to run from our calling. Both happen all the time.

So what happens when Jesus shows up in your calling as He did with the disciples in this passage? The last line of Mark gives us perspective. Mark 16: 20 declares, ”And they went out and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them and confirmed the message by accompanying signs.”

Calling is all about living out the Gospel in the way that God has called us to pick up our cross and follow.

You are called! Amen

Reading for Today: Mark 15- 16 & Luke 1