Walk In Your Calling

“The journey toward meaning begins when we unearth our gifts.”- Rebekah Lyons

“Don’t ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive, and go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.” –Howard Thurman

There are moments when God causes my heart to be so restless with a word that until I share what he has put on my heart , it remains unsettled.

Throughout the last few weeks, I couldn’t shake Eph 2:10. Ever been there? My mind kept drifting back to something I prayed for a friend this time a year ago. I had prayed that they’d “walk in their calling.” But while I was praying that afternoon for my friend {Eph. 2:10}was flashing in my mind.

Almost a year later whenever I would see or read {Eph. 2:10} I would think of my friend and that prayer, but it wasn’t until recently that I began to be curious of the connection between that verse and what I prayed.

So, for weeks now I couldn't shake that verse. Take note that when that happens…that’s usually God trying to tell you something. It was the last part of Eph 2:10 that seemed to be coming alive in a fresh way. The second half of {Eph 2:10} says, “…works[good things] he planned in advance for you to do…” 

Those words caused my mind to drift to the second half of{Eph 4:1}that says, “lead a life worthy of your calling, for you have been called by God.”

I remember just sitting on those two verse for a few days. I would write out {Eph 2:10} and just stare at it. I knew God was trying to tell me something, but I wasn’t sure what. But I knew that the prayer I had prayed for my friend almost a year ago still stood true. I wanted to see them doing what God had put them on this planet to do for His glory. That they would, walk in it and not run from it.

So one night I pulled out my journal and wrote out the words that were jumping out at me. Maybe that would help…

So I began to write:

-God’s Masterpiece {Workmanship}

-Created anew

-So

-We Can Do

-Good Things {Works}

-Planned {Prepared}

-In Advance for us

From there I looked at {Eph 4:1} to see if there were in similarities--I loved the {Message version}

"In light of all this, here’s what I want you to do. While I’m locked up here, a prisoner for the Master, I want you to get out there and walk—better yet, run!—on the road God called you to travel. I don’t want any of you sitting around on your hands. I don’t want anyone strolling off, down some path that goes nowhere. And mark that you do this with humility and discipline—not in fits and starts, but steadily, pouring yourselves out for each other in acts of love, alert at noticing differences and quick at mending fences."

If you keep reading in {Eph. 4} Paul talks about how, those of us in Christ, have been given gifts and why we have been given, each of us, special gifts for the building up of the body of Christ.

"You were all called to travel on the same road and in the same direction, so stay together, both outwardly and inwardly. You have one Master, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who rules over all, works through all, and is present in all. Everything you are and think and do is permeated with Oneness.

 But that doesn’t mean you should all look and speak and act the same. Out of the generosity of Christ, each of us is given his own gift. The text for this is,

He climbed the high mountain,


He captured the enemy and seized the booty,


He handed it all out in gifts to the people.

Is it not true that the One who climbed up also climbed down, down to the valley of earth? And the One who climbed down is the One who climbed back up, up to highest heaven. He handed out gifts above and below, filled heaven with his gifts, filled earth with his gifts. He handed out gifts of apostle, prophet, evangelist, and pastor-teacher to train Christ’s followers in skilled servant work, working within Christ’s body, the church, until we’re all moving rhythmically and easily with each other, efficient and graceful in response to God’s Son, fully mature adults, fully developed within and without, fully alive like Christ." – Eph. 4:4-16 {message}

Today as I sat waiting on my car to get new tires I decided (a head of time) to bring a book and grab a coffee on the way so I could at least enjoy myself while sitting in an otherwise boring waiting room.

I decided I’d pick up were I had left off in the book I had been reading, “Freefall to Fly” by Rebekah Lyons. Each time I’d feel led to pick up that book it was always timely--Today, was no exception.

“What are those unique talents and gifts that were knit together in my mother’s womb? Those natural bents that expressed themselves when I was as young as a grasshopper and lasted as long as they could until getting squashed? For a few of us, our parents saw a gift in us and nurtured it to full bloom. Sadly for many, our uniqueness was squelched by peer pressure, feelings of inadequacy, or disapproval from a parent. We didn’t have the chance to explore and develop our gifts. It still hangs inside us like a half-finished piece of art.”

You and I are God’s workmanship, His masterpiece—His “work of art.” He created you and I to do good works for His glory. We cannot take credit for our salvation, our being created a new. Christ did that! God put gifts and talents down inside each of us and my heart has been burdened to encourage someone to use what God has put inside of you, but also to live like one who has been called.  

You have been called by God—he put gifts and talents in you that were meant to used.

“But if God has buried in each of us good gifts, doesn’t it follow that He desires for us to find and use them? To ignore these gifts or fail to develop them, it seems, would be to bury our treasure.” –Rebekah Lyons

You are HIS masterpiece! His “treasure possession.” He knew what he was getting when he called you! Nothing you about you catches God off guard.

God’s Word CLEARLY says that he had made plans for you LONG AGO! He prepared in “advance” for you and I. We forget that God is our Creator. He fashioned each of us uniquely. So again, God knew what he was getting when he adopted you and made you anew in Christ, and then called you.

 You were made a new creation in Christ. The Old has gone and the new has come. You have been created a new in Christ to DO good things…that he already has prepared for you, put in you, to do.

What you have in you, gifts and talents, were prepared specially for you! You are a unique creation! God’s masterpiece!

Like that quote says above, when we keep those gifts buried, we are keeping treasures God put in us to be used locks up tight, afraid to search and find out what they are, or step out and use what we know is in there. When we refuse to allow those gifts to be refined and grow, it is like having a half-finished piece of art hanging inside of us.

On one end this is a a reminder that we are God’s work of art. We are a new creation, and we can’t take credit for it. It was Jesus Christ who made us new. God prepared for us in advance. We are not a surprise to God. He made us anew because he had planned good things for us to do.

He made you and I new so he could use us! He wanted you! Let that sink in! God WANTED you!

On the other hand {Eph. 4:1} is a reminder:

In light of the fact that we have been called…we need to live like it.

“I want you to get out there and walk—better yet, run!—on the road God called you to travel. I don’t want any of you sitting around on your hands. I don’t want anyone strolling off, down some path that goes nowhere.”