1 Corinthians 7:20, 24
Ps Paul Cheng
~3 min read
Calling begins with God who calls us to be Christians. And as we live our Christian life, He continues to call us into specific ministries, duties and responsibility. So, in our last pastoral chat, we had considered that the first thing we ought to learn is to live according to our calling. Today, we will discuss how we ought to be content with our calling.
II. You must be content with your calling
In 1 Corinthians 7:20, Paul said,
Let every man abide in the same calling wherein he was called. (1 Corinthians 7:20)
To abide is to remain, and the only way we can remain as we are, is when we understand and are content with our calling.
Some people would look at others and feel that they are more gifted than them, or they have opportunities that they do not have. As such, they would say, “If only….” But here, God is saying to us through His Word, “Please do not do that! You should abide and remain as you are. The situations and circumstances need not change; what needs to change is your heart and your understanding of My calling.” It is God who has distributed to each person his or her portion, no more and no less, but what he or she needs to serve and glorify Him.
When I was a young Christian, there was a time when I used to watch the little children in Sunday school, and I thought to myself, “I grew up in an unbelieving family, and I only came to know the Lord in my twenties. But if only I were to grow up in the church as a child, went through Sunday school, attended youth camps, family camps, fellowship meetings and Bible studies as a child, I would surely be a different person today. Surely, my knowledge and relationship with Christ would be stronger and better? Or if only I had learnt to play the piano from young, and watched how others in the church serving the Lord by playing the piano in church, how wonderful that would be!” It is always, “if only!”
But finally, I realised one thing, “Do I really know? Can I really be sure that if only the circumstances are like this or like that, things would be better? There are so many children who grew up in the church, yet they are no longer worshipping God; some are even professing atheists, and I could easily be one of them. There are so many people who grew up watching others serving the Lord in playing the piano, and they themselves are accomplished pianists, but they never lift a finger to serve the Lord in this ministry, I could easily be one of them.
Dear friend, do we really know, “if only” the circumstances are like this or like that, things would be different? The reality is that we do not know anything! Therefore, we should humble ourselves before the Almighty God who knows all things. Whatever is in the past, let it be in the past! As for today, our situations do not need to change, but rather it is our heart that needs to change; a heart that longs to serve God and glorify Him regardless of who we are.
Finally, Paul said,
Brethren, let every man, wherein he is called, therein abide with God. (1 Corinthians 7:24, emphasis mine)
This phrase is very similar to verse 20, Let every man abide in the same calling wherein he was called. But there is something different; notice Paul added two words, with God. The key to a contented life is to know that God is with us!
Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. (Hebrews 13:5)
Well, you may say, “How can I be content; my house is so small, or I am single, or I have no children, or I am married and I have so many children, or my job is so stressful, and my commitments are so many.” Well, God says to you, “You can be content, for I am with you, for I will never leave you, nor forsake you.” When God says that to us, what more can we ask, and what more do we need?
Dear friend, if we are true Christians, then we ought to serve and glorify the One who has called us to be Christians. We can glorify Christ whether we are a man, or a woman, or a child, married or single, Jew or Gentile, slave or free (c.f. 1 Corinthians 7:21-23). We can glorify Christ whether we are in Australia, China, Singapore, Malaysia, or anywhere. We can glorify Christ whether we are rich or poor, young or old. Whatever we are and wherever we are, we can glorify Him. We must be faithful and content with our calling!
In Christ,
Pastor Paul Cheng
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