January 16, 2013 … God’s Calling IS His Enablement

Daily Berry Patch Devotions in 2013 - Day 16

Passage of the Day: 1st Samuel 20: 1 [in the context of verses 1-4] … 
1 David now fled from Naioth in Ramah and found Jonathan. “What have I done?” he exclaimed. “What is my crime? How have I offended your father that he is so determined to kill me?  
2“That’s not true!” Jonathan protested. “I’m sure he’s not planning any such thing, for he always tells me everything he’s going to do, even the little things. I know he wouldn’t hide something like this from me. It just isn’t so!” 3 Then David took an oath before Jonathan and said, “Your father knows perfectly well about our friendship, so he has said to himself, ‘I won’t tell Jonathan—why should I hurt him?’ But I swear to you that I am only a step away from death! I swear it by the LORD and by your own soul!” 
4“Tell me what I can do!” Jonathan exclaimed. 
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Contextual Reference Passage: … To study today’s highlight passage in context, go to 1st Samuel, Chapter 20 … by using this link … 
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Reference Passage #1: Hebrews 5: 7-9 : [NLT] … {If it’s good enough for Jesus, it’s good enough for all of us. } …  
7 While Jesus was here on earth, He offered prayers and pleadings, with a loud cry and tears, to the one who could deliver him out of death. And God heard His prayers because of His reverence for God. 8 So even though Jesus was God’s Son, He learned obedience from the things He suffered. 9 In this way, God qualified Him as a perfect High Priest, and He became the source of eternal salvation for all those who obey Him. 

My Journal for Today: My mentor taught me – and it’s true – that “God’s calling is His enablement,” … which means that whatever God’s wills and calls us to do (i.e., whatever He anoints us for in HIS purpose), He will prepare and empower us to accomplish that calling. And David, the young shepherd, who was called and anointed by God to be the King of the Israelites, is a great Old Testament example.

David was called out of the fields as a shepherd and anointed by the Prophet Samuel to be the future King of Israel during the previously anointed reign of King Saul. But Saul’s heart soured on God’s calling and the first King of Israel let his pride, arrogance, and human jealously dampen the presence and power of God’s Spirit, Who had resided in Saul’s heart as the first king of God’s chosen people. So, God’s calling was passed to young David; and we know the story of the young shepherd’s defeat of Goliath and his early affiliation with Saul, where David’s anointed power became evident to King Saul. But as David rose in prominence, the anointing left Saul and passed to David; but this didn’t mean that David had it easy from then on.

What we then see historically is that God prepared David for his kingship by sending him out into the desert as Saul pursued David, trying to kill him. In today’s vignette in 1st Samuel 20 we read of how God led David into a very close relationship with Saul’s son, Jonathan, whose love for David helped the anointed future king to be protected and to grow into the King David would become.

 My fellow Christian, I don’t know where God has you right now; but if we, as Christ’s servants, are headed toward the anointed calling which The Lord has for our future, we can be assured that God is preparing us for that calling. I know that I’m in the midst of doing what God called me to do, … i.e., to lead a ministry to help Christian men walk free from habitual sexual sin strongholds in their life – you can read about it at this link . However, to prepare me for this calling, God sent me through 22 years of a harrowing desert experience; … and then six more years of pursuing my soul before I was first led to Christ and then prepared, through sanctification [seven more years of growth], for the kingdom purpose He has me carrying out for His glory now.

And I’m uplifted by the reality that even Jesus, during His earthly ministry here on earth, was led through testing and trying times so that His Father in Heaven could prepare Him to become the High Priest of all mankind where He now sits in re-throned glory (see the passage in Hebrews 5, verses 7-9 I have copied/pasted above). And I always say, “If any process is good enough for Jesus, it’s good enough for all of us!”

So, if you’re going through tough times now, dear one, know that it’s highly possible – even probable – that you’re being tested or tried in some way to prepare you for some anointed purpose God has for you in His future calling on your life. And for sure, His calling will be His enablement.

My Prayer for Today Lord, thank you for Your calling; but thank you even more for the anointing and testing which led me to be able to serve You, knowing that You’ll continue to grow me in the power You hold for me, Holy Spirit. … Amen