Monday, December 7, 2009
The sequel this week is not to a sermon but from an adult Sunday School paper (Power for Living) and is a "you comment" sequel. The story is about Tim Tebow, an outstanding quarterback for the Florida gators. How would you advise him is the sequel. Suppose he felt called by God after college to be a missionary or pastor and yet had on his table a multimillion dollar contract to play professional football and he asked you what to do - what would you tell him and why? Think about it and write a comment.
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If he feels called by God to be a missionary or pastor, I'd tell him to keep eternity in mind and pursue what he feels God is calling him to. Even if he exchanged the money he'd be making for solid gold, when he dies, he can't take it with him. If he could, he would be bringing pavement! (streets of gold)
ReplyDelete:-) He could certainly have an impact as a witness, role model, etc as professional football player, and the money would be a great temptation, but if he is truly called by God to minister as a missionary or pastor, would he be able to live with doing anything else but what he was called to do?
I know I'm not the only sequel reader...maybe no one else wanted to go first? :-)
I think every one of us need to follow what the Lord is burning in our hearts in order to be complete. If he is called to minister as a pastor or missionary, then he should forsake his own ambitions and follow the calling that God has given him.
ReplyDeleteI also think that, in His mercy, God usually wires each one of us up to be special in one area or another, and ofen, His calling is for us to just be who we are "FOR HIM"!
I know of a motorcycle group that raises lots of money every year to send foster kids to camp. Over the last several years, many of them have come to know Jesus. They still look like "bikers" and dress like "bikers", but they are now "bikers" to the Glory of God.
I don't always think the Lord wants us to go to foreign lands to be missionaries, but to just be who we are, where we are, for HIM.
If the Lord gave him a great ability for sports, he can use him right where he is. But, if he was first called to go to the mission field or ministry, he could do that and still make the most of the abilities that God gave him within that capacity.
God gives each of us just what we need to go where He wants us to go. We just need to seek direction, and we can't go wrong.
Being called by God is a pretty powerful thing. The fact that his Creator was calling him to do something should be reason enough in itself to follow the tug into ministry. However, if for some reason the clling was't enough to sway his decision, he should view it as a give/take situation. Since it is a large sum of moneybeing offered, that seems to be the main reason for taking the football route...no money on the line probably wouldn't convince him that football was the way to go. This would be the take situation. Following the call to ministry would allow him to share the Bible with many people. This would be the give situation. From what I have learned we are supposed to strive to be more like Christ. He gave everything for us, so it only makes sense to give everything back to Him. Also, if I was being tugged by someone who knows a lot more than I do, I think I would take it to heart and follow the lead :)
ReplyDeleteIt's kind of odd but I had a dream last night; a dream that had me rolling around in money. I was stinking rich and I had enough money to last a life time. Now during that dream I felt nothing....no love for the money. The dream seemed to be telling me that I could not love money because money was forcefully holding me against my will in a world where insecurities and fears run wild. (I read this blog yesterday and as you advised I thought about your words and since I am a heavy dreamer my subconscious can sometimes see things more clearly.)
ReplyDeleteIt seems to me when God gives the call to ministry the person he is calling is in love with our Lord...has a relationship...lives h/h life for God...wants to be used by God. Our Father loves us enough to give us free will, God will never force us to do anything. It is love that motivates a person to go out into the mission field and serve. It is love that motivates us more than force.
Do you remember that newscaster on channel 22? About twenty years ago he gave up his nice comfy job with the station and decided to study for the ministry. This man was only able to fight against God for a season and then he needed to return home and follow the will of God.
In conclusion: If Tim asked my advice on which direction he should take in life my answer would be: "FOLLOW YOUR HEART."
Blessings,
Adeline