1 Corinthians 1:1-17; 1 Kings 12:32-33; 1 Kings 13; Joel 1

“Paul, called to be an apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God, and Sosthenes our brother, To the church of God which is at Corinth, to those who are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all who in every place call on the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours:” (1 Corinthians 1:1-2 NKJV)

The minute someone recognizes that they’re called of God, opposition arises. When Paul returned to Jerusalem after his Damascus Road experience, he ran into skepticism from the church. He was the man who brought the gospel to the church in Corinth and yet he found himself defending the call of God on his life and on the lives of other believers in Corinth. In the Old Testament reading, a prophet from Judah ran into opposition from King Jeroboam, whom he denounced, and, after seeing God overcome that opposition, allowed himself to be swayed from God’s call by a prophet who spoke falsely. Paul exemplifies what it means to be called by God and to stay true to His calling no matter what the costs may be. We should profit from his example.

Paul alluded to something very important, that many of us gloss over: we are followers of Christ because we’re called by God. It’s so easy to leave the “God work” to people who are called to certain positions in the church. The truth is that if we’re called by God to follow Him, we’re called to live for Him in all we do. All Christians, those who are sanctified in Christ and called to be saints, are called to live a life that’s pleasing to God, to evangelize, to minister to those in need, and to care for others. When Jesus described the judgment of the sheep and the goats, He didn’t say, “I was hungry and you called a minister over to feed me.” Will you live out God’s call on your life today? Care for others. Minister in the name of Jesus. Love the unloved. Live to show others the love of God in your life.

Lord, thank You for calling me to live for Jesus. Give me strength and encouragement as I follow You in staying on the path You’ve prepared for me.