Responding to the Call
Song of Solomon 5:2-6 (extracts) “I was asleep but my heart was awake. A voice! My beloved was knocking: . . . . . “I have taken off my dress, How can I put it on again? I have washed my feet, How can I dirty them again?“ . . . . . ”I opened to my beloved, But my beloved had turned away and had gone! My heart went out to him as he spoke. I searched for him but I did not find him; I called him but he did not answer me.”
This beautiful passage speaks of Jesus calling on us. It speaks of how we often feel – tired, not ready, already in bed perhaps. Should I respond? Oh, I suppose I had better answer Him. Doh – too late !! Sometimes, God needs our attention now. He calls for our attention now. He wants to speak to us NOW !!
There is a famous testimony from Jesse du Plantis who received a call from God to pray. He had just ordered a lovely steak lunch so was a little reluctant, but the call persisted. So he left the table and went to his room. As soon as he settled to pray, he received the most amazing vision and view of heaven. He was taken there for a personal tour and returned a while later. He dared not tell of what he saw for about two weeks and even then he only shared it with his wife. See what he may have missed completely if he had said to God that he was busy and could he pray later. He responded to Gods call.
Hudson Taylor felt the call to China – look what he may have missed had he not answered Gods call. Billy Graham felt the call to preach. What would have happened had he not answered Gods call? It doesn’t have to be a grand call. It could be a very simple call just to say hello to an elderly person, or to buy a coffee for the man begging on the corner of the street.
We need to respond when God calls to us. In my life, when seeking to change our accommodation three years ago, what would have happened had I not responded to a nudge to call my friend in what is now our home town?
What do we miss by ignoring or refusing to answer His call? I believe the first thing is that we find ourselves out of Gods will for us. Out of His will, Out of His plan for us. Out of His plan for others and, perhaps, out of His plan for something really big in our church, our town, even our country/ Who knows what we may miss by one small act of disobedience. If Reinhard Bonnke had ignored the call to Africa, how many may have missed their own appointment with God? Maybe millions of people?
If God is speaking to you today, please don’t dismiss it as your imagination. At least follow up and take even a very small step like praying about it. Someone will confirm it for you – then who knows what may happen?
Hello Brother. So good to know you through your profile on the blogger. I am glad to stop by your blog "From the Walls" and the post of it "Responding to God's call". Thank you so much for your sharing from Song of Solomon 5:2-6. I have come across very few bringing out the devotional from Song of Solomon. I am blessed by your spiritual application of above verses. Thank you for sharing it. Well I am so glad to know that at the age of 69 you are giving your best. There is no retirement in God's Kingdom. Well I am in the Pastoral ministry for last 33 yrs in the great city of Mumbai, India a city with great contrast where richest of rich and the poorest of poor live. We reach out to the poorest of poor with the love of Christ to bring healing to the broken hearted. We also encourage young people as well as adults from the West to come to Mumbai on a short term missions trip and work with us. We would love to have you come and can work with us in the slums of Mumbai by being hands and feet of Jesus to set the captives free and to share the good news to the poor. My email id is: dhwankhede(at)gmail(dot)com and my name is Diwakar Wankhede. I have noted your email but some time by seeing the mail coming from a stranger we do not open it because of the fear of having spam but I would be happy to use it once you know the person who is writing to you.. looking forward to hear from you very soon.
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