By Pastor William Y. K. Brown Ph.D
(Resident Pastor)
Seventh-day Adventist Church
Osu-Bethel.
Tel: 0244165628/0243310773.
wykbrown@gmail.com
THURSDAY
THEME: WALK WORTHY OF THE CALLING
SCRIPTURE: Ephesians 4:1-2
“[1]I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, [2]with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love.”
REFLECTIONS:
Faithfulness, integrity, humility, fortitude, patience, perseverance, stamina, and endurance are the true hallmarks of an impeccable soldier. As soldiers of the cross of Christ, we are called to be faithful to the core. Some certain behaviors and attitudes should, by and large, distinguish us from all others. A faithful Christian is a visible walking sermon. Our calling in Christ comes automatically with genuine expectations from the world around us. What do the people around want to see? They are anxious to see men and women with integrity, holiness, and love – high ideals they know they cannot attain or espouse themselves.
The difference is clear: when God calls and elects us to righteousness, we have power from heaven to exemplify character and wisdom. This is why one can say without stuttering that “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13). Our divine calling and recognition position us in close shadows of the character of God. We become reflectors of the character of God – we cannot do otherwise if our call is genuinely from Christ. Can the moon ever stop reflecting the sun? We acquire and cherish eternal values and live by ennobling life principles – the new birth experience.
Paul, the apostle who was so committed to seeing the believers live a life above reproach to the glory of God, often admonished his congregation to walk worthy of their calling. In Ephesians 4:1-2, he counsels, “I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, [2]with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love.” Our calling is a holy one that imparts character transformation. The sincerity of our commitment to God must be reverberated in our daily walk and life with Him. To God be the glory that He does not expect us to do something He does not provide the strength and the means to achieve. To live in Christ, walk in Christ, and remain in Christ is the essence of our calling.
The apostle challenges and implores us to live above pettiness, pride, self-conceit, arrogance, and self-centeredness and uphold the virtues of lowliness, gentleness, longsuffering, love, compassion, and empathy. Our prayer for each other today is that we remain in Christ to manifest these attributes to the world and the people of the community of faith. A couple of questions to ask: “Am I living worthy of my divine calling?” “Is my Lord and Savior happy with me?” “Am I making the right choices and decisions? Our prayer – Lord, help us to remain connected to You through prayer, the study of Your word, and witnessing to others about Your love for humanity.
MY SONG OF COMMITMENT
SDAH 189 – “All That Thrills My Soul”
LET US PRAY
– Praise and thank God for the privilege of His calling; thank God for grace; pray to remain connected to Him daily;
– Pray for all Christians to live up to God’s expectations; pray for believers everywhere to be letters read by their community; pray for young people serving God in various ways;
– Pray for God’s protection for those who are inhumanely treated; pray for believers who have fallen to rise and walk in Christ; pray for peace in your community;
– Pray for relief from the economic crisis; pray for families severely impacted by the global crisis; pray for the unemployed, distressed families and nations; pray for the soon return of Jesus Christ.
