The Call of God
The call of God is not the source of holiness, but rather a holy person can make their calling holy.
A.W. Tozer emphasizes that the call of God is not about the position one holds but about the holiness of the individual. He reflects on Meister Eckhart's assertion that a person's calling does not inherently make them holy; rather, it is the individual's relationship with God and their commitment to holiness that sanctifies their work. Tozer encourages believers to prioritize their spiritual state over their achievements, reminding them that true significance comes from being a person of God first. He concludes with a prayer for focus on holiness rather than fame or success.
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Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it. --Hebrews 12:11
"Your calling," said Meister Eckhart to the clergy of his day, "cannot make you holy; but you can make it holy. No matter how humble that calling may be, a holy man can make it a holy calling. A call to the ministry is not a call to be holy, as if the fact of his being a minister would sanctify a man; rather, the ministry is a calling for a holy man who has been made holy some other way than by the work he does. The true order is: God makes a man holy by blood and fire and sharp discipline. Then he calls the man to some special work, and the man being holy makes that work holy in turn....
Every person should see to it that he is fully cleansed from all sin, entirely surrendered to the whole will of God and filled with the Holy Spirit. Then he will not be known as what he does, but as what he is. He will be a man of God first and anything else second. We Travel an Appointed Way, 59-60.
"You've called me to be holy, Lord, not famous; to be holy, not successful. Keep me focused today on being the person You want me to be, no matter how significant or insignificant the work You ask me to do. Amen."
Sermon Outline
- The Call of God
- The Requirements for a Holy Calling
- The Focus of a Holy Life
- Being a Man of God
- Prioritizing Character over Work
- Filling with the Holy Spirit
Key Quotes
“You can make your calling holy, no matter how humble it may be.” — A.W. Tozer
“You've called me to be holy, Lord, not famous; to be holy, not successful.” — A.W. Tozer
Application Points
- Prioritize being a man of God over any work or task you are asked to do.
- Ensure you are fully surrendered to God's will and filled with the Holy Spirit.
- Keep your focus on being holy rather than famous or successful.