Destiny Calling::In the Right Place at the Right Time.

Have you ever wondered whether you are in the right place, at the right time, or that your life had prepared you for such a moment as you find yourself in today? You hear people describing their success and sometimes their failures, through catalogue of events that just seem to ‘fit together’, or perhaps when these events simply do not work or are incompatible, leading to a sense of failure. 


I was watching the formula one race from Silverstone where Geri Halliwell who was once in the British pop group the Spice Girls, commenting that Lewis Hamilton’s tyre explosion was a “Kind of Karma.” You could see the sport’s pundits looking at her puzzled… 
“You know she said, because of Mercedes’ secret tyre test with Pirelli – a kind of Karma.”

The philosophy of Karma is found in both Hinduism and in Buddhism. It is used to explain the reasons why inequalities exist in society.  Karma is the state of ‘balance’ that we find ourselves in as a result of our nature and the way we are nurtured, or the prior events of our heritage that we have been born into. These factors dictate the causes for the road we find ourselves on, leading to the effects that we experience in later life. The Chinese philosophy of Yin and Yang has a similar concept of where seemingly opposite or contrary forces are somehow linked in the natural order of life. However when viewed as a whole, these force’s through their appearance of being in tension, are in fact intrinsically connected.

So Geri Halliwell was suggesting that there was some sense of justice between Lewis Hamilton’s tyre explosion and his employer Mercedes’ secrecy in conducting a tyre test when it was forbidden to do so. A sense of natural order for the cause and effect of the events of the F1 track! You also hear in use in our English language the phrase: ‘What goes around comes around,’ or ‘They've got what’s coming to them,’ as an expression of a sense of justice being dealt when it appears that someone has got away with something when they shouldn't have.

This view of life is one where there is a sense of inevitability about the way that thing’s turn out… as if we do not have any sense or control over what happens, but we hope that it will ‘turn out alright in the end.’ Those of us who have slightly better life chances can build on those circumstances. Perhaps through a good education or perhaps in becoming an entrepreneur with an ‘eye’ for a good business deal, we can engineer our expectations of life in a more controlled manner than those who have nothing at all. We all enjoy a good success story where someone who started with nothing has managed to build up their lifestyle to one with visible benefits in wealth and acquired property.

But godliness with contentment is great gain; for we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.

(1 Timothy 6:6-10)

In our search to ‘better-ourselves’ we have hope that our efforts are not in vain, but that the fruit of our labour will be rewarded with the benefits of a long and healthy life. Unfortunately, life has a habit of letting us down. Dreams can be easily broken and our wealth seems fleeting. We can read the newspapers on some mornings and despair at the news of a world in turmoil.

We have this weird irony in the UK that we would reward a sportsman or woman with a knighthood for their achievements, and yet fail to look after our injured armed forces in the manner to which one would expect… no real sense of justice here. One particular sportsman, Andy Murray, the first British men’s tennis player to win Wimbledon for the last 77 years was overwhelmed with his success and donated his £1.6 million prize fund to the Royal Marsden Hospital… an altruistic act of selflessness perhaps or an insight into a deeper spiritual calling?

God’s justice is somewhat different than a sense of Karma. Jesus turns the system of status and favour onto its head through the many parables that he told about the kingdom. In Matthew 20:16 Jesus says, "So those who are last now will be first then, and those who are first will be last." Of the things that exist in this world, Jesus says in 1John2:17, “This world is fading away, along with everything that people crave. But anyone who does what pleases God will live forever.” In Matthew 6:19-21 Jesus says “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

So what do we make of this kingdom that Jesus speaks of? A rich young man came up to Jesus and asked him what he must do to be saved… Jesus looked at the man and could sense the man’s status in Jewish society through the wealth displayed in his fine clothes. Jesus being a Jew knew that those who felt they were righteous would be blessed by God; in their righteousness, the people attained status and wealth as a sign of that blessing. So this young man approached Jesus thinking that he would find no fault with him as he honoured the law, which he represented through his status.

“Teacher, what good deed must I do to have eternal life?”

“Why ask me about what is good?” Jesus replied. “There is only one who is good. But to answer your question—if you want to receive eternal life, keep the commandments.”

“Which ones?” the man asked.

Jesus replied: “You must not murder. You must not commit adultery. You must not steal. You must not testify falsely. Honour your father and mother. Love your neighbour as yourself.”

“I've obeyed all these commandments,” the young man replied. “What else must I do?”

Jesus told him, “If you want to be perfect, go and sell all your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”

When the young man heard this, he went away sad, for he had many possessions. Then Jesus said to his disciples, “I tell you the truth, it is very hard for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of Heaven. I’ll say it again—it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of God!” 

The disciples were astounded. “Then who in the world can be saved?” they asked. Jesus looked at them intently and said, “Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But with God everything is possible.”

(Matthew 19:16-26)

Jesus doesn't justify inequality as Karma, but points to each one of us to determine how we will live out our lives in accordance with his law. He also wants this to be more than a superficial action, but a life changing choice. The young man in this story claimed his identity through his status and wealth… he probably sat at the head of the banqueting tables he was invited to join as a Jewish VIP. To give that up was far too much for this man… would it cost us too much?

Jesus guessed as much because of what he saw on the outside and what he knew of the man’s heart. In the midst of the healing's, the teaching, and the miracles that Jesus performed, this young man in recognising that something special was occurring around Jesus, approached him with the title: ‘Teacher.’ A student of the scriptures may have recognised that the acts that Jesus’ performed pointed him out as being the Messiah, rather than address him simply as ‘teacher’. This man felt he had fulfilled all of the Law of Moses, and was at least equal to Jesus in choosing to use this term, yet he had understood none of the law.

I was talking to a man at our Alpha course recently and he said that he couldn't understand any of this Christianity… he has no need of it. He has had a good career, with a good salary, equally good pension and had retired early to enjoy the benefit of his labour. He could see that his wife who had suffered various trials in her life had won through because of the faith she placed in Jesus. So he was in Alpha to find out what a life of faith meant, but he had not found a way to let it in… Like the man in this gospel story, he had all of the trappings of life, yet he had never made the connection between his prosperity and the provision of God.

There is a great line in James Cameron’s film Titanic where the salvage ship captain was listening to the final scene of the survivor’s story regarding the horror of falling into the sea. He says, “All these years of searching for treasure in Titanic, I never let it in…” His quest to investigate the ship had somewhat distanced his emotional attachment to the people who died aboard her on April 12^th 1913. The story reconnects his empathetic response to the tragedy, and he suddenly senses the emotion of the ‘real’ treasure lost on that fateful night.

We can be in the driver’s seat of our lives with a single minded determination to succeed. We may have a few crashes and we might end up looking slightly battered by the experience… we pat ourselves on the back with the pride of our achievements, but without Jesus, they will end up as nothing. 

Our perspective should be one where we seek to serve God through our interaction with the world we live and the communities we serve. When we recognise that God should be in the driving seat of our lives and not us, we learn to trust in his abilities, his navigation through life’s hurdles, and we are secure in his ability through his son Jesus, to pilot us home.

So what causes your heart to stir? Where do you see inequality or injustice being passed to someone less fortunate with no one to defend them? What are you most passionate or compassionate about? What would you like to see changed? What causes you to think – ‘Hey, someone should do something about that!’ These need not be those big issues we see in the news, but the everyday comings and goings. Jesus says it is not about keeping the law, but in how the law dictates our actions.

The rich man was told by Jesus to give everything to the poor that in turn served two purposes in the kingdom. The first is that the poor are supported, and the second which I believe to be as important, is the work of faith that goes on in the man’s heart. Jesus gives the rich man an opportunity to give up his selfish attitude towards his wealth, adopt a selfless attitude towards himself, and adopt a servant heart to those less fortunate. He couldn't make that choice in his own strength or from his desire to serve God by following the law. God offers us a choice when we are presented with a test of our faith. This man chose to walk away… what would we do?

At the school gate if you hear a parent saying how life is busy and they haven’t done the shopping and didn't know when they could do it as their duty to their little one gave them precious little time in their schedule. We can offer to look after their child for a moment to allow them to have some space to unwind and to centre their day… to go and do the shop! Being hospitable; inviting people to lunch for the social interaction that this brings, and the joy of sharing. Doing those jobs at work you know need to be done but have been left alone… take them on and ask God to enter into that place to bless your colleagues.

There are many good people who display selflessness but do not know God. Generally we cannot naturally ‘work-up’ this kind of behaviour in our character, but God through his revelation in your hearts can do it. Have you ever considered that the driving force behind your life could be God breathed…? It is more than some sense of Karma or some kind of divine justice that makes you want to help those less fortunate that ourselves or to preach the gospel in our cultural setting.

Could it be that these concerns or insights to serve others could be part of your God given destiny…? You conceived the idea through your understanding of what Jesus calls us to do… you saw the need and in your ‘minds-eye’ you entertained the idea of responding to that call, but you haven’t yet acted on it. Have you placed these dreams, thoughts and ideas before God in prayer; have you received a word of God or revelation from his word; received a prophecy that confirms your suspicion of where you feel God is leading you? Or through the discussion of your dreams with others, gained some new insight that might spur you into action?

Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness.

(Romans 12:6-8)

Of all of your thoughts, what convicts you most? What parts of your life is the Holy Spirit illuminating. Start small by choosing to do something achievable that you could put at the front of the queue in your prayer life, or that you could respond to in a more practical way… What would this act of servant hood look like? A friend of mine is about to go out to Malawi to work on a social programme where the villagers build a community centre and sporting facility. He always had a desire to go there and do something, and always felt that God wanted it too. 

Until now though, the various elements that would lead to him finally committing to actually go, did not fit together. However, life changes and we are each on our own journey into faith. God prepares us first by testing our faith so that it can be refined like gold. As we prepare for our mission he puts in front of us opportunities for us to express our faith through our actions. When we are ready to begin the next step of our journey, all that has gone before will fall into place as we recognise what we have learned and appreciate how resilient we have become in following our great passion to serve him. And so in August, he flies to Malawi.

"The harvest is great, but the workers are few. So pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest; ask him to send more workers into his fields.”

(Luke 10:2)

God works like this throughout the Old Testament. He gives us opportunities to express our faith through taking risks. When we step out in faith, God meets us in that place and through his grace, equips us for the work we are destined to complete. Queen Esther in the Old Testament is an amazing story of courage and destiny. The Babylonians and the Persians had conquered the nation of Israel and took the spoils of war into exile. When King Xerxes was looking for a new wife, Esther, a young Hebrew woman, was presented to him and he was smitten. Chosen to be his new wife, Esther was placed into a position of authority as Queen.

Esther’s uncle Mordecai also gained favour with the King when he intercepted an assassination attempt that gained him favour in the royal courts and elevated his status from that an an immigrant, to one of a noble. Mordecai would not honour his compatriots because he honoured the Lord God. This led to the uncovering of his Jewish ancestry giving his opponents the ammunition not just to kill Mordecai, but to commit genocide against the nation of Israel exiled in Persia and Babylon. The use of politics in this way allowed the nobles to gain favour with the King through flattering his pride. This ultimately leads to the signing of a royal decree to root out the Hebrew people from their society, and put them to death. Learning of this decree, Mordecai knew that he had an answer in Queen Esther.

Mordecai messages Esther to remind her that she is not protected in the royal household and that she has a duty as Queen and as a fellow Hebrew, to make her mark and do what God had planned for her. Mordecai was powerless due to the schemes of his follow noble Haman, and the focus was now on how Esther would serve God and serve the people of God through her actions. Esther was in the right place at the right time… she was part of Gods plan and provision for the people.

God does not rescue us from our old life into our Christian lives without purpose – Our small group motto is Jeremiah 29 v11: “For I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” God equips us for his purposes because he knows what we are capable of… He has gifted you – He has filled you with his passion for the things of his heart; and we are the instruments in bringing about his peace.

Does anything in your life stand out as an area where you see a ‘need’ or one where you can serve..? It could be an area you have already trained in, and can use for God’s mission? It could be something you are already doing… does it sound like God is calling you into his service? He uses your intellect, your observations of this world and the culture we live in to transform our communities… he works deep in our soul so that we can respond to his loving touch. As we respond to his love, we become more loving towards each other… it is far more than just a programme – it’s a life as a disciple; a follower of the one who sets us free.

“And it shall come to pass afterwards that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, and your young men shall see visions.

(Joel 2:28)

Mordecai knew his purpose, and he knew that he had achieved what he had through God sustaining him. He also understood that he had achieved his position for the benefit of the greater will of God, and he had a duty as a noble to protect his people Israel. Mordecai calls to Esther and says: ‘don’t you think you can just sit back in your security as Queen and ignore Haman… you’re not Queen by accident, God put you there – a Jewish girl now Queen of Persia.'

Esther uses all of her beauty, and all of her intellect; she uses her full glory and her status to seek an audience with the King, certain that it could mean her death… trusting that her God would go before her. What could we do in our own lives that reflect Esther’s response to God…? She was operating in dangerous times. Do we trust God for such a time as this? What have we got in place to be certain that the mission God is calling us into is commissioned by him…? Is it for his glory? (You can read about Haman’s Plot in Esther Ch.3:2-11; Ch.4:1-5 and 10-11; 13-16; Ch:5)

Make a FAITH (RISK) commitment…

It’s not enough to talk about your calling… we must commit to action. I have talked about my calling to my wife for years, getting more miserable each time I felt left out, or that my contemporaries had been elevated in spite of my acts of service; or felt that doors were closed; or that no one seemed to have any expectation that I was ready or indeed interested in serving God in a full time role. Yet I know that God has to root out my pride and my arrogance. He needs me to be dependent on his grace, and empowered by his spirit so that I am ready to do the work he has set aside for me.

I have to ask myself… what am I living for; who am I doing this for? Is this God’s will for my life or have I drank too much coffee this morning? How passionate am I to go and do it? Is my heart convicted to make the change? If it is all about ‘me’ as I described in the paragraph above, then my success is going to be limited or destined to fail. Whatever the outcome, there is always something that God wants to teach us or reveal in our character, so that we can learn more about who he is. So what risks might we need to take with our faith, or what preparation should we do, in order to meet our calling?

We need to know what we are willing to die for; Paul talks about dying to self to gain life. Jesus said that we need to lose our lives for his sake, in order to find life… and that FAITH, as John Wimber was fond of spelling out as R...I...S...K, will set us free. Jesus also spoke to people about their faith like the rich young ruler. God wants to transform and renew our lives – to be BORN AGAIN… we need to become more Christ like as we walk with him and understand how the Holy Spirit works in us pointing to sin in our lives, so that we can confess it, and that we keep returning to the one who sacrificed himself for our redemption…

It’s like a constant renewal of FAITH leading to ACTION, OBEDIENCE leading to BLESSING, with BLESSING comes REVELATION and RENEWAL, which in turn leads to EQUIPPING that again builds our faith and our confidence in the great I AM. Jesus is the visible GOD, revealing the mysteries of the hidden Glory of the King of Kings, of whom we are privileged to serve. (2 Corinthians: 4)

For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them (Ephesian 2:10)