"A Changing Call" Acts 16: 6-15

As I heard stories this summer on Clergy Renewal, I was struck by how many people were living out their call to discipleship in different ways than they were when I knew them.  I mentioned in an earlier sermon my Jr. High leaders who heard a call to a new church development project.

I also had a chance to talk with a woman who has gone through 5 distinct phases of her sense of call over the last 20 years -- each of which was very meaningful to her and certainly sounded like a call to me.

A third person shared their new sense of call with lots of excitement.  I was struck when he said something like, "I finally felt Jesus in my heart." and realized that when I knew him he was a model of discipleship to me, but now he looks back and sees that as a time when he was not connected as closely to Christ.

This is also the 10th anniversary of 9/11 which reminds me that sometimes circumstances beyond our control cause radical changes to take place in our lives.

On a lighter note, when I was driving back from Chicago after having been gone for three weeks, I tuned in to the station I listen to on FM (99.9).  I also have 94.5 preset because my daughters like it (I really don't like it).  As I listened to 99.9, I discovered that I didn't like its music that night.  As I searched for stations, I landed on a song  I like, and then noticed it was on 94.5.  I began switching back and forth between those two stations as I discovered the music I liked on 94.5 and the music I didn't like on 99.9.  I was rather confused.  As it turns out, the stations had exchanged their frequencies over the time I was gone.  Change!

Can you identify changes in your sense of call and what prompted that change?  Paul credits his change of direction to the Holy Spirit.

Peace,

Richard