THE service at Crediton Methodist Church on Sunday, June 11 was led by Mrs Caroline Colin with the theme “A Calling”.

Caroline said her name had sometimes been called tenderly when she was young; sometimes encouragingly when she was uncertain; sometimes in discipline when she had gone astray and sometimes by some very special people romantically.

She had been called in the workplace and socially.

However, none of the above compares to the call Caroline received from God, the Father.

In our Bible stories we focused on two people who had been called by God. Firstly Abraham – a man on the move between Ur and Canaan.

God told him to go and, at the age of 75, Abraham left not knowing where he was going.

In Abraham’s calling we learn of God’s promises.

Peter quoted the last promise “All people on earth will be blessed through you” when talking to the Jews – who would have been Abraham’s ancestors.

Paul also quoted this promise when writing to the gentiles in Galatians – they, and we, are Abraham’s spiritual descendants.

At the time of his calling, Abraham had no idea where he was going.

God told him to go and he obeyed. Now his descendants would be a “great nation”.

Abraham lost his home in Ur – but found his destiny.

He lost his place in society but found his place in the bloodline of Christ.

He lost his disgrace as the husband of a barren woman but found his faith in the promise of God.

The second character we read being called, this time by Jesus, was Matthew a tax collector.

Tax collectors were notoriously dishonest and hated, especially by the Jews.

In obeying Jesus’s call, Matthew lost a comfortable job but found his destiny. He lost a really good income but found honour.

He lost a comfortable security and found an adventure the likes of which he had never dreamed of.

Matthew knew how to write and used his skill to write the Gospel of Jesus.

When Jesus called Matthew He called a man everyone hated.

However, Jesus not only saw what he was - but what he could become.

So, what about us today?

Have we heard the call of God, the Holy Spirit?

If so, have we answered that call?

Caroline said it was only after she had left her homeland, Zimbabwe, and travelled to a country she knew nothing about that she received the call to preach.

She had to leave her homeland to discover a new life.

She left her heritage and found a breadth of fellowship and she lost her job and found much more obedience to God.

Like Abraham and Matthew, God can use everything we offer Him. God could be calling you to be an intercessor on behalf of someone?

Could God be calling you to be different from the crowd or to witness to those around you? Be an Abraham, a Matthew, a Ruth, a Mary. Trust God, trust Jesus, trust the Holy Spirit.

Bronwyn Nott