Which Is It?
Which Is It?
Now the word of the LORD came to Jonah the second time, saying, 'Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and preach to it the message that I tell you.' So Jonah arose and went to Nineveh, according to the word of the LORD. (Jonah 3:1-4 NKJV) We've seen that God gives man a measure of responsibility to answer the call that's been placed on his life (see February 1). We've also seen that God enjoys a sovereign superiority that places Him in complete control over the situations and circumstances of our calling (see February 18). Wait a minute, pastor, which is it? Are we in control, or is God in control? Is the completion of our calling contingent upon our responsibility or on His sovereignty? According to the Bible, both are necessary. It may boggle our brains, but the fact remains that our calling consists of God's sovereignty and our response. Just look at Jonah's life. God exercised His sovereignty not only by saving Jonah from certain death, but also by commanding and commissioning Him a second time. Jonah's call was certainly driven and directed by a power greater than him. And yet we also see that the prophet had an important part to play. God could have just plopped him in the middle of Nineveh, but He didn't operate that way. Jonah had to put feet to his faith and actually put forth some serious effort. God was working and so was Jonah. The result--the call was accomplished. Our calling also involves both of these truths: God's sovereignty makes it so we don't have to bang down every door on our own, straining and striving to make things happen. But we also need to do our part by acting responsibly, not idle when there's work to be done. Which is it? Both. God's sovereignty and man's responsibility are as inseparable and indivisible as the two sides of a coin. And both are an integral part in the completion of our call. DIG - What do you need to complete the call placed on your life? DISCOVER - How have you personally witnessed God's sovereignty working in conjunction with your efforts to accomplish His call? DISPLAY - What would you say to those who are sitting back and waiting for God to drop something in their laps? |