Look and Listen
‘Not called,’ you say! ‘Not heard the call, I think you should say!’
So William Booth said to his generation and keeps on saying to every generation since. God universally calls people into his forgiveness and light and, having tasted these treasures, we are immediately challenged to declare his praises. Yes, every one of us is called to declare his praises and tell his story. It is not merely the task of the officer or a select few. It is the task of every believer to make God’s glory known.
But to many of us—maybe, many more than want to admit it—God’s call is to not only receive and tell of his love and forgive-ness, but to go wherever, whenever for whatever he desires—he is calling many into officership.
It seems that one of the major difficulties people face is interpreting the call; some have such a particular view of how the call should come. It seems like they are waiting for the phone to ring with the voice of God at the other end saying, ‘Do this!’
The Bible makes plain several ways in which a calling came to men and women. There is the experience of Noah, Abraham and Moses where God spoke clearly and definitely about what they were to do! A ‘You-go-do’ call. This still happens. Candidates, cadets and officers speak clearly of a moment when God spoke to them about their future. For them it was clear and definite. But this is not always the case.
We see other Bible characters where their circumstances spoke of something greater happening, such as Joseph in the Old Testament. Joseph was sold out by his brothers, experienced slavery, false testimony, imprisonment and was forgotten by those he’d helped. But when revealing his identity to his family he said, ‘It was to save lives that God sent me ahead of you.’ Joseph, despite all he had been through, recognised God’s divine design in his experience. Some people follow a pathway that seems thrust upon them but, upon looking back, recognise the markings of God’s design on their journey.
The experience of Esther is worth consider-ing. She was in a place of influence. She had opportunity to deflect a nation’s actions against the Israelites. She was in place ‘…for such a time’. We are in a world desperately in need of the love of God; desperately in need of the hope of God; desperately in need of the forgiveness and power of God.
We can make a difference!
There are needs all around us and is that not call enough? ‘The need is the call!’ I can almost hear William Booth shouting down the halls of time promoting this type of call. The Founder said, ‘Put your ear down to the Bible and hear him bid you, GO!’
It is an encouragement to not only listen, but to look. Look at a world in need and know that God, through you, can make a difference.
Yet the call that challenges us most is the calling to Isaiah. In fact, Isaiah wasn’t called. God didn’t say ‘You will go!’ He said, ‘Who will go?’ Here is a need. Not the world’s need —it’s God’s need. The need for someone to put their hand up and say ‘I’ll go!’ Someone to give themselves to God’s service for his glory and for his purposes.
Isaiah was like a schoolboy throwing his hand in the air saying, ‘Send me, send me, I want to go!’ And it wasn’t to a glorious position that he was sent. He was sent to a people who would not listen And it wasn’t for a season. It was until the walls fell down. But he went and the prophetic words he spoke revealed the sacrifice of the Saviour.
We need some Isaiahs, ready to go and do whatever, whenever, wherever!
Officership! If not you, who? If not now, when?
Major Len Turner
Territorial candidates secretary
Major Marney Turner
Assistant territorial candidates secretary
