Call To Service
The
By JOHN WILMOT MAHOOD *
O UR Lord loved the sea. Matthew says he sat by the sea side (Matt. 13:1). And again in Mark 1:16 He is found walking by the sea. After His resurrection He was seen standing by the sea. No wonder He loved the sea, for He made it. It was when He was walking by the sea of Galilee that He called His first disciples in order to teach and train them in the work of His kingdom. “Now as he walked by the sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew his brother cast ing a net into the sea; for they were fishers.” Jesus always saw more than the wonders of nature. Whether He walked by the sea shore or in the mountains He saw men. He had seen Andrew before, for it was Andrew who ran to his brother Simon and cried, “ We have found the Messiah.” What a dis covery was this—to find One who was the hope of the nation, One who could deliver from oppression and bring hap piness. I suppose Andrew was just an ordi nary man, not gifted for leadership as Peter was, nor capable of remembering and transcribing the visions that John saw. He was a one-talent man; but he used that talent so well that he brought his brother to Christ, and that was a work worthy of a lifetime; for that brother became one of the great leaders of the early church. It was Andrew’s contact with Jesus that made him what he was. Evidently Andrew had been looking for the Messiah, for he said, “We have found him.” He knew the Scriptures and knew that the Messiah was promised. He believed in prophecy. His life was rich with the promises of God. Andrew’s visit with Jesus gave him a vision of glory. It enriched his life. He became a soul winner. This glimpse into the life of one of the early disciples of our Lord teaches us some valuable lessons: Jesus Christ needs helpers. He needs them now. Never since the days of the first disciples has He had more need for men and women than now. The fields are white unto harvest, and the “thresh ing time” is near. He has asked us to pray that workers may be sent into the ripening fields (Matt. 9:37,38). I am confident He is calling young men and women into His service now. But some * Founder of the London Bible Institute.
who hear His call will not answer Here am /, and others will be prevented from obeying by their parents. Can that be true? I know it is, for it has been brought to my personal attention often. There is a young woman, now a mis sionary in the West Indies, whose par ents opposed her going to a training school. She had a definite call to pre pare for missionary work, and felt she must obey. When she left home for the school her father and mother would not bid her good-bye. But I am happy to say that three years afterward, when I presented her diploma, her father and mother were both present, and her mother had been converted. I know of another instance where parents objected to God’s call that did not turn out so well. When I was pastor of a church in the midwest, a young woman came into my office weeping. She was a teacher in the public schools, and also president of the young people’s society. She was naturally vivacious and I wondered what had happened. When she could control herself, she said, “ There is something on my mind about which I have wished to talk with you, but I have never had the courage to come until now. For two years I have felt that God wanted me to prepare for missionary work. But when I mentioned it to mother she scolded me, and told me I must never think of such a thing.” I said to her, “What can I say if your mother is so persistent in her objections? But I will say this, ‘If God wants you for the mission field I think you had better not say no.’ ” She sat there weeping, and then taking thirty dollars from her purse, she said, “ I want you to send this to India to employ a native worker in my stead.” I said, “ Nellie, I shall send this as you desire, but I want you to know that thirty dollars does not buy off your call if God wants you in India.” She went away weeping. Six months after this I married her to a grocery clerk in that city, who afterwards broke her heart. Seven years afterwards I was called back to that city to officiate at that young woman’s funeral. I sat beside the casket, and when I rose to try to speak some words of comfort I saw the heartbroken mother sitting near. Then I could not help but recall what happened in the parsonage seven years before. I wanted to say, “ O mother, why
did you not allow God to have His way with your daughter? How much differ ent it might have been,” but it was too late. Why will Christian parents not seek God’s will for their children rather than their own? Jesus Christ is calling young men and women to His service today, and I fear many are hindered by selfish parents from obeying His call. Yet God wishes to confer upon them a greater honor than could be given by any earthly king. Jesus Christ does not call idlers to His service. He never makes a mistake in His call. These men called to be His first disciples were busy men. They were prosperous fishermen. They had boats of their own. As a rule, I believe God calls men and women who are successful in their present work. When business and professional men want help, they are usually wise enough to choose those who are successful in their present oc cupations. They do not want failures. Football and baseball scouts travel the country over looking for men who are successful athletes in their home clubs. From them, they fill up the gaps. They must have men who will devote their strength to one thing. God is looking for men and women for one work—men and women who will put Christ first before earthly pleasures, before their possessions, before their own plans, even before family ties: “ He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.” “ He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it” (Matt. 10:37,39). He must be all in all. Again let me remind you: these men were ordinary men, but because they were obedient to His call they became apostles—men charged with the greatest commission ever committed to human beings. From fishermen they rose to be ambassadors of the King of kings; and their names (save one who was a be trayer) shall forever shine in the pages of the history of the Christian church. In simple trust like theirs who heard Beside the Syrian sea The gracious calling of the Lord, Let us, like them, without a word, Rise up and follow Thee.
Page Six
T H E K I N G ’ S B U S I N E S S
Made with FlippingBook - Online catalogs