If you follow Great Big Yes on social media – Instagram, Twitter or Facebook – you know that I am participating in a Holy Yoga photo a day challenge. Each day of the month has a topic and each person posts a picture for that day with #hyphotoaday. It’s fun! So today’s topic is “Calling”.
Being the good rule follower that I am, and reverting back to my Sunday school days when priests would talk about “calling” as this ominous, kind of threatening thing…I immediately went to “What does God want from me?” What is it that I am supposed to do…perform…achieve…make happen? What is God calling me to do? Along with that comes the fear, Oh my gosh…what if I don’t do it? What if I fail?
Then I read this in the Bible. This is the verse that keeps coming up for me.
I suspect you would never intend this, but this is what happens. When you attempt to live by your own religious plans and projects, you are cut off from Christ, you fall out of grace. Meanwhile we expectantly wait for a satisfying relationship with the Spirit. For in Christ, neither our most conscientious religion nor disregard of religion amounts to anything. What matters is something far more interior: Faith expressed in love. -Galatians 5:4-6 (Message)
This reminded me. I am called to LOVE.
I decided to post this for the challenge:
Because let’s be honest. It takes boldness to love.
I’m not talking about the boldness that comes off as brash and know it all. I’m not talking about the kind of bold that separates people.
God’s kind of bold is about loving. It’s about being different…unique…standing out. God’s love reaches out to others. To love in this way takes courage. This boldness is about vulnerability and authenticity.
In today’s world, when we love like this, we are different. To truly love we must put aside ego and expectation and performance and judgment and grudges and past hurts. That’s difficult.
But we are not alone. God doesn’t ask us to do something and leave us. He equips us. He walks with us.
Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” (NIV) –Joshua 1:9
What is so exciting about this is that we are all in this together. Everyone is called to love.
No matter where we are or who we are or what we do for a living…It’s all sacred space filled with sacred people trying to live out their sacred calling.
©Sue Bidstrup, 2013 Great Big Yes™ All Rights Reserved