Becoming

DAILY BYTE

If the beginning of all calling is listening (see yesterday), then the story of Abram teaches us another wonderful truth about calling: It is that calling is about becoming. Abram is told to leave behind all his securities (land and family), and to go out dressed only in the promises of God.

Calling always addresses issues of identity – those places we gain security, meaning, definition and purpose. We later learn that there is some irony behind God’s promise to bless Abram and make of him a great nation, because he and Sarai are barren, they have been unable to conceive for all their roughly 75 years of life.

As Abram’s story unfold, it seems that this barrenness is deeply wrapped up in who he was and how he perceived himself. It was as if God was challenging him by saying: “Abram, you may think you and Sarai are empty inside and don’t have much to offer the world in the way of life, but this is not my plan for you. When I look at you, I don’t just see the person you are right now, but the person I made you to be!”

When we think about call, we often make the mistake of starting with what we are supposed to do, but a far deeper dimension of God’s calling is to become. Your calling is intrinsically wrapped up in your identity – the person God had in mind when he first thought you up!

You cannot succeed in what you do and fail in who you are!

Recently, a good friend of mine was tragically killed when surf ski paddling just outside Port Elizabeth. I flew down to his funeral, and let me tell you he was a very talented person. He could DO lots of things! He was intelligent, musical and a natural leader. But at his funeral what people spoke about and cried about was not to do with any of those things – it was to do with WHO he was.

They spoke of his passion, faith and integrity. As he followed his call, it was his character and core identity that most marked others.

A couple of chapters after this call, Abram is given a new name – Abraham. While Abram means ‘father,’ Abraham steps up the irony a notch further because it means ‘father of nations.’ When he was given his new name, Abraham was 99 and still without children … God’s promise had not come through for him yet.
Can you imagine how he felt standing up at parties, aged 99 and with no children, and yet introducing himself as ‘Father of nations’?

But that’s exactly the point.

It takes faith to feel naked, empty, even barren and yet still trust that God will bring new life into this world through us not so much by what we can do but by WHO WE BECOME.

PRAY AS YOU GO

Holy God, may you graciously work your life into me as I gradually become who you originally created me to be. In this way, I ask that you would use me to bring life and hope to others. Amen.

FOCUS READING

Genesis 12: 1-2

Now the LORD said to Abram, "Go from your country and your kindred and your father's house to the land that I will show you. I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you, and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing.