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In the first few chapters of the book of Ezekiel, the prophet records what it was like for him to be called by God to serve as a prophet. Ezekiel’s situation was a little different than ours (he was an Old Testament prophet, living before the life and death and resurrection of Jesus, who had God’s direct words to speak and write), and yet, there are some real parallels and things to learn for anyone who wants to serve God and speak for him in our generation. I ran across a helpful summary of these lessons in Daniel Block’s commentary on Ezekiel. This is a little long, but I encourage you to grab your bible and read Ezekiel 1:1-3:15, and then contemplate Block’s observations. Here they are:

If the account of Ezekiel’s inaugural vision provides the reader with important lessons about God, the commission narrative offers vital information on the relationship between God and those whom he calls into his service.

First, whoever would serve as a messenger of God must recognize that the calling comes from God alone.  Neither the needs of the field, nor oratorical gifts, nor any other external qualifications authorize one to enter divine service.  Moreover, the God who appoints his servants also defines the task, chooses the fields of service, provides the message, and assumes responsibility for the outcome.  The less evident the fruit for one’s ministry, the more critical is a clear sense of calling.

Second, whoever would serve as God’s messenger must first have a clear vision of the one who sends him or her.  Although Yahweh prepared Ezekiel for his ministry by hardening him commensurate with the hardness of his audience, the primary preparation occurred in chapter 1.  Unless the servant of God enters divine service with a sense of awe at the privilege of representing the glorious King of heaven and earth, and unless one is convinced of God’s sovereignty over all the earth and over all of human history, the ministry may be a burden.  Without a firm conviction of God’s call the ministry may be one’s undoing – especially when the opposition is strong and fruit is absent.

Third, whoever would serve as God’s messenger must be empowered by the Spirit of God.  Ezekiel was “the prophet of the Spirit.”  Animated and energized by the infusion of God’s Holy Spirit, he serves as a model to all who would stand in the Lord’s presence and all who would enter his service.

Fourth, whoever would serve as the messenger of God must be inspired by the message of God.  To be sure, the personalities of God’s agents color the manner in which the calling is fulfilled.  This was certainly the case with Ezekiel.  But the prophet is primarily accountable to God and the divine word.  Twice Ezekiel’s word is labeled “Thus has the Lord Yahweh declared” (2:4; 3:11); three times the prophet is charged to speak “my words” (2:7; 3:4, 10); three times he is told to ingest the divine message, which he is to proclaim (2:8; 3:10).  Merely hearing the message is obviously not enough:  it must be digested, internalized, incorporated, embodied, and lived.  The medium becomes the message.  Furthermore, the message of God’s spokespersons derives not from private reasoning or logic, or from mystical reflection, but from revelation.  Even so, prophetic “inspiration” does not cancel out or overwhelm natural abilities and qualities – it uplifts and quickens them.

Fifth, whoever would serve as the messenger of God will be divinely equipped commensurate with the calling.  God is aware of the challenges his agents face.  When he assigns a task, he assumes responsibility for preparing them for that work.  Indeed, God’s call to service is not made on the basis of gifts, but vice versa; gifts are given on the basis of the assignment.

Sixth, whoever would serve as the messenger of God must recognize that the calling is not to success but to faithfulness.  Every aspect of vocational service remains under the sovereign control of God, especially the results.  Accordingly, apparent effectiveness is no proof of calling, nor even a sure criterion by which to measure faithfulness.  The messenger embarks on his or her mission as an emissary of the divine King.  That privilege alone should provide sufficient motivation for unconditional service.

Some food for thought. In what ways might God be calling you to serve him this year? …with your life? How do these biblical principles apply to your situation?

Maybe you’re one of those people whose brain always works right. But for most of us, we have times when, to put it mildly, weird thoughts come into our heads. Richard Baxter offers some helpful advice on what to do about that…

None of God’s servants are free of inconsistent and sinful thoughts.

For such thoughts, they must:

1. ask for daily forgiveness, and
2. rejoice that they have a sufficient Savior and remedy for them, and that, accordingly, sin will finally lead only to the exalting of grace.

But if they should excessively attend to and be troubles by every groundless thought, it would merely be a snare to divert them from almost all their greater duties. Would you like it if your employee began noticing and worrying about insignificant imperfections in his work instead of doing his work?

In other words:

• Understand these things are common,
• Ask for forgiveness when you need to,
• Rejoice that Jesus forgives all sin, and then…
• Stop thinking about it, and move on.

One of the most obvious aspects of a lot of contemporary Western Christianity (American, Australian, European) is the emphasis on feelings and emotions. All you have to do is look at the lyrics to popular worship songs, listen to many sermons, or witness many Christian concerts and worship services to see what a huge part of our Christianity we deem our emotions to be. The picture of true Christianity that many paint is the picture of someone who is always emotionally engaged and filled with things like visceral love and passion.  We want tidal waves, not ripples.

But what happens when you don’t really have those feelings for God or the Christian life? Or what if you do sometimes, but not other times? Can you walk with Jesus when the emotions aren’t running high? What about when you feel your passion ebb? Or what about if you are just more of an even-keeled person? Are you less spiritual than the person who’s emotional dial always seems to be at 10?

Once again, here’s Richard Baxter with some sound insight.  He notes that it is true that, at some point, passion for God is part of serving God(that’s what he means by our “duty”). And yet, he says…

Do not value too highly the passionate aspect of duty, but understand this: judgment, will, practice, high esteem of God and holiness, resolute choice, and sincere endeavor are the life of grace and duty; felt emotions are lesser and uncertain things.

You don’t know what you do when you so emphasize the emotional aspect, or when you strive so much for deep and transcendent revelations. These are not the important things or the essentials of holiness. Too much of such feelings may distract you. God knows how much you are able to bear. Passionate feelings depend considerably upon nature [meaning, our personal natures]. Some persons are more expressive than others. A little thing affects some deeply. The wisest and most worthy persons are usually the least passionate. The weakest hardly control their feelings. [The editor notes here: “I believe Baxter is here arguing for self-control, not absence of expressed emotions.”]

God is not apprehended by our sense, and therefore is better experienced through the understanding and will than through the emotions.

Notice Baxter’s discussion of these three points. If, in our day, many assume that God is best “apprehended” by our emotions, what are we missing if the truth is that we also need our understanding and (think about it!) our will to truly know God as well? In fact, what word is most used when people talk about what Baxter seems to mean by “apprehending”? Isn’t usually the word experience?  There is a lot of talk (and singing) about experiencing God, but it is typically only speaking about an emotional experience with God. But by “apprehending,” Baxter means something more like grasp or lay hold of or know relationally. And all that includes, not less, but more, than emotions. He continues:

The holiest soul is the one most inclined toward God, resolved for him, and conformed to his will, not the one affected with the deepest griefs, and fears, and joys, and other such transporting emotions.

Even if it’s becoming common in many circles to define holiness by the perceived depth of emotional experience revolving around God, this is a great reminder not to have our views of God colored by all of that. And yet, Baxter is not saying emotions are worthless. He just wants to encourage all of us who aren’t often surfing the tidal waves of feelings…

Nevertheless, it would be best if holy emotions could be stirred up at will, to a degree that would best equip is for duty.

But I have known many who complain, for lack of deeper feelings, who if their feelings (as they call their emotions) had been more intense, might have been distracted. I would rather be a Christian who loathes himself for sin, resolves against it, and forsakes it (though he cannot cry over it) than one of those who can weep today and sin again tomorrow, one whose sinful emotions are as quickly stirred as his better ones.

What great insight! Don’t worry about your emotional level. God knows what each of us can handle in terms of feelings. Better to actually grow in holiness (for instance, in getting sin out of our lives) than to experience huge emotions that can flip either way.

You know that moment in Exodus 14 where Israel got to the edge of the Red Sea, only to realize that Pharaoh had showed up with his army, and wanted to re-enslave them? Moses gave a great quick speech right then:

Do not be afraid.

Stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD, which He will accomplish for you today.

For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall see again no more forever.

Victor Hamilton has some great thoughts on the moment, and on Moses’ decision to tell the people not to be afraid:

Moses’ comforting words to the people, “Do not be afraid,” are the same words even Israel’s great ancestors needed to hear when they had their backs against a wall: Abraham (Gen 15:1), Isaac (26:24), Jacob (46:3) and Hagar too (21:17).

All these fears that God addresses are normal and real. They are not illusory. God does not lie to us about danger; nor does he plant in us the idea that they are figments of our imagination.

What he reminds us is that in order for these frightening situations to get to us, they will first have to get past him.

We can rest, not because of the absence of danger, but because of a God in whom we can trust.

Here is Gregory the Great, commenting on Matthew 25:19-24…

“After a long time the lord of those servants came and settled accounts with them… Then he who had received the one talent came and said, ‘Lord, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you have not sown, and gathering where you have not scattered seed. And I was afraid, and went and hid your talent in the ground. Look, there you have what is yours.'”

Gregory writes:

The third servant was unwilling to work with his talent. He returned to his master with his talent. He returned to his master with words of excuse: “Master, I knew that you are hard man reaping where you have not sown, gathering where you have not scattered; being afraid, I went away and hid your talent in the earth. Here it is; see, you have what is yours.” The useless servant called his master hard, and yet he neglected to serve him for profit. He said that he was afraid to invest the talent for interest, when he should have been afraid only of bringing it back to his master without interest.

For many people in the church resemble that servant.

They are afraid to attempt a better way of life, but not of resting in idleness. When they think about the fact that they are sinners, the prospect of grasping the ways of holiness alarms them, but they feel no fear at remaining in their wickedness. Peter is a good example. When he was still weak, he saw the miracle of the fishes and said, “Depart from me, O Lord, because I am a sinful man.”

If you regard yourself as a sinner, it is only right that you not drive God away from you! But those who see that they are weak and are for this reason unwilling to improve their habits or way of life are like people admitting that they are sinners and at the same time banishing God. They flee him whom they ought to hallow in themselves; even in the agony of death they so not know where to turn and cling to life.

A lot to think about there…