Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-10-28
BY Robert D. Burbank.
Topic: IS
An I HvADENG GODS CALL?
(Jonah. 1:3; Jer., 1871: Exod..
4:1o-13: Acts. 26:1S.)
Jesus calls -, Ger the tumult
OF our nfess wild rsseless sea:
Day By day His sweet voice soundeth.
6ayinR, ~Cnistian, follow ne.'

Gods ca1l'' 10 term that has 30 long
been associated with voices from the
skies, or burning emotional experiences.
and applied 30 exclusively to the perform
ancs Of some great services such ~ enter
ing the ministry or the missionary field.
that unless We examine It somewhat we
may fail to catch the real Significance
Of the topic question.
Undoubtedly God has called certain men
to certain great special tasks: and since
every one Of our ministers and mission
aries are convinced that they have re-
ceived Gods call, we cannot doubt That
God does distinctly call men for this kind
Of service. But perhaps you have never
felt or heard such q call. and 50. you
cay, you could neither evade nor answer
II. However. . call g an expression o.
a need or desire. and Gods call simply
awakens you to the consciousness Of an
opuUrtunity Of needed service which you
can render; and It need not be something
treat Or spectacular or heroic, because
God calls Just - distinctly to service that
may seem to you ordinary or common
God calls aome men to be preachers,
some to be missionaries, some to be
great leaders, and others He calls TO oe
business men, professional men and Ia
boring men. There is not a 1fe a ior
each Of us to carry out his plan. II we
believe God has a plan for the whole
creation, we cannot doubt that He has
q plan for each part. however insignin-
cant. Since His nature and HIS name I'M
is Love-" His purpose Is benign as His
plan 10 wise and harmonious. and He
has fitted us for our particular tasks
or willsdo 30, ana His plan must surely
be to have each Of us DO the thing be
can do best It may seem strange to
think Of God calling q man to be q Ia
borer, or mechanic. or clerk. just ~ He
calls another to the ministry; and to
realise that He calls women to be
nurses, stenographers and housewives
as well ~ deaconesses and missionar.
that His Infinitely wise plan for the
universe includes q specific purpose and
plan for each one Of US, and that He
calls US to fulfill 1t.
nish US with four examples of men be-
ing called by God. Jonah, Jeremiah
and Moses sought to evade Gods call
but Paul obeyed promptly.
Jonah had been preaching to his own
people. apparently. without much eff;
feet, when the Lord told him to go and
preach to Nineveh, that wicked city
This displeased Jonah, because he
thought II he failed to rouse Nineveh
he would be discredited; and. on the
Oln0r HanQ, IL tuo p0oPL0 Va Nho Gil
should listen to him and repent. that
city might be saved from the destruc.
ton that was impending over his own
fellow citissnA So Jonah disobeyed the
call and tried to run away; but God
showed him how foolish he was and be
finally obeyed the call
When the call came to Jeremiah he
said: II am too young to undertake
difficult public service" This was gen
uine humility. but Jeremiah forgot that
when God calls a man He also prom
Uses tho strength for the task.
Moses pleaded lack of equipment
when God called him. 'I am not elo-
quent-how can 1 be a leader?" God
replied, who hath made mans mouth
or who maketh the dumb. or deaf. or
seeing, or blind? Have not I. the Lord
thy mouth, end teach thee what thou
shalt say" 8n
In contrast with these three Old Tes-
lament characters who sought to evade
Gods call to service, we ind Paul, after
vears of service. medestiy describing
his own answer to the. call Of God
thus; "whereupon. o King Atrippa, ]
vision7" and We remember that Paurs
words in answer to Gods call were
Lord. what wilt thou have me to do?'
People today are answering Gods
call as Paul did, or trying to evade ii
as the other three did. There are the
Jonahs. who get frightened at the size
OF their task. or who prefer their per-
sona1 convenience above meeting their
responsibilities, or who put patriotism
or local pride above duty to God. There
are the Jeremiahs, who are too humble
to undertake the jobs God has fitted
them for and called them to and have
not enough faith to trust God for the