Prompt: Share a favorite story from the Bible where a person responds to God's summons or call. Why does this story resonate with you?
As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.” At once they left their nets and followed him.
Going on from there, he saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John. They were in a boat with their father Zebedee, preparing their nets. Jesus called them, and immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him.
Matthew 4:18-22, NIV
When I think of a person in the Bible who was called by God, I’m often reminded of Peter.
Knowing what we know about Peter’s life and ministry, we might think that he was called in some dramatic, spectacular way, like Moses’ burning bush, or Paul’s blinding light on the road to Damascus. After all, Peter was included in Jesus' "inner circle" of disciples, declared that Jesus was the Christ through divine revelation, and would become a major leader of the early Church. Surely there would have been some sort of supernatural sign of calling for someone God would use so powerfully!
But Jesus simply said to him one day, "Follow me," and Peter left his fishing nets and did it. No fanfare, no angels singing, no signs, just a response out of obedience.
In my own life, while I was baptized at an early age, I didn’t really feel a sense of God’s calling in my life until my teenage years. It was then that I felt the gentle presence of God tugging my heart to give more of myself to Him. In response, I offered Him my musical talents, which were basic then. No fanfare for me, either, just an attempt at obedience.
Another aspect of Peter’s life that resonates with me is that Jesus’ call didn’t end with the fishing nets. It continues as Peter first draws close to Jesus and then turns away from Him, even to the point of denial. Jesus’ call is constant, even as Peter doesn’t feel worthy of it, and leads to him being restored with Jesus. The assurance of this constant call is a great comfort to me, too – I’m often reminded of the hymn lyric, “Earnestly, tenderly, Jesus is calling, calling, O sinner, come home.”
Throughout the Bible, God has called people to Him in a variety of ways, both spectacular and seemingly ordinary, and every person's story is different and potentially impactful. I hope this Advent season you will have a chance to look back on the times you have felt God’s call. Blessings!
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