Monthly Study
November 2023Send Me
What the Bible Says about Calling
Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?” And I said, “Here am I. Send me!”—Isaiah 6:8
If you Google the question, What is my calling?, you’ll receive approximately 3 billion results. Everyone from Forbes magazine to Oprah seems eager to weigh in on the subject. Clearly, our understanding of “calling” has become complicated and confused. For a Christian the question becomes even more important. What does the word “call” mean? How do I know if God is calling me? And what happens if I don’t feel ready or able to accept His call? This month, we will examine what the Bible teaches on the subject. Through this study, we pray that you will:
- Understand what Scripture says about calling
- Reflect on all the ways God has called you
- Reaffirm your own commitment to follow and answer God’s call
Your devotional author,
Kelli Worrall
Volume 36Edition 11
Managing Editor: Jamie Janosz, Senior Editor: Elena Mafter, Contributing Editor: John Koessler, Writer: Kelli Worrall, Art Director: Lynn Gabalec, Graphic Designer: Rachel Hutcheson, Marketing & Production: Paul B. Currie
About the Author
Kelli Worrall
Kelli Worrall is Professor of Communications and Chair of the Division of Music and Media Arts at Moody Bible Institute.
View MoreDevotional Calendar
Podcasts
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Created and Called
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What comes to mind when you hear the word “calling”? Your vocation? Your mission? The particular work God has given you to do?
November 1, 2023
Communal Worship
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Worshiping with fellow believers is a powerful experience. Constance M. Cherry wrote, “Corporate worship is what happens when the body of Christ assembles to hear with one heart and speak with one voice the words, praises, prayers, petitions, and thanks fitting to Christian worship.”
November 4, 2023
A Reciprocal Call
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On October 8, 1871, the Great Chicago Fire burned more than 2,000 acres—including evangelist D. L. Moody’s Illinois Street Church. The fire caused Moody to reevaluate his life and ministry.
November 5, 2023
A Call for Action
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Sometimes we call on God, asking Him to act, asking Him to reveal Himself or to remedy a dire situation. And sometimes He responds with dramatic intervention.
November 6, 2023
A Cry, a Prayer
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When newborn babies come into the world, they make their needs known, using the only method they have. They cry.
November 7, 2023
A Cry for Mercy
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Many feared that church attendance would decline as a result of the COVID pandemic. But, according to a study by the Pew Research Center, “a remarkably steady share of Americans” (40 percent) have continually attended at least one religious service per month (online or in person).
November 8, 2023
A Call of Comfort
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In the Old Testament, prophets carried messages from God to His people. They spoke words of warning and comfort. The prophet Isaiah emerged during the reign of King Uzziah, a time of peace and prosperity in Judah.
November 9, 2023
Go and Be
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When we think about God’s calling, we can be practical to a fault. We beg God to show us what we should do— when He is more concerned with who we are. In Genesis, God called Abram to go to an undisclosed land and become a great nation (Genesis 12). God wanted Abram to do something and to become something.
November 10, 2023
A Call for Repentance
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When a leader falls into sin, many follow. When well respected teachers depart from God’s truth, their followers are misled. The far-reaching consequences of false and sinful leaders is nothing new. In the Old Testament book of Zechariah. Israel’s leaders led God’s people into sin.
November 11, 2023
Chosen by God
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The moment when a woman learns she is expecting is forever preserved in her mind. Time stands still as she contemplates the new life within her.
November 12, 2023
Calling All Sinners
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Every December, Christianity Today publishes its annual list of “Top Testimonies”—the most-read, most-shared conversion stories of the year. They are dramatic personal accounts of the gospel’s transforming power in the life of drug addicts, gang members, and the son of a Hindu priest. Matthew’s testimony in today’s passage would fit right in.
November 13, 2023
He Calls His Own
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Most authors who write about “calling” distinguish between the general (or primary) call of God and the specific (or secondary) one. God issues a general call to everyone who listens and responds, a call to salvation and sanctification, discipleship, and devotion.
November 14, 2023
Called to Be Saints
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Many factors contribute to the formation of our worldview. Our family background. The teaching we received. The community we experienced. Our education. Our culture. Our media and music. The people we admire. The experiences we survived. Each plays a role.
November 15, 2023
Called, Justified, and Glorified
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Have you ever been completely confused about how to pray in a troubling situation? We may sometimes struggle to understand the will of God or even how to approach His throne.
November 16, 2023
The Salvation Call
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Do you remember when you first heard the gospel? When I was eight years old, my Sunday School teacher shared it again and asked my class to raise our hands if we had “asked Jesus into our heart.”
November 17, 2023
Called to Be Holy
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Is this person “the one”? Should I pursue this job or that one? Is now the time to move or invest or retire? Whenever we are confused or concerned about more specific questions of calling, God’s general call anchors us.
November 18, 2023
Called to Walk Worthy
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I was 21 when I went on my first overseas mission trip to Europe. We worshiped with a wide variety of congregations—from American military families in Germany to Romanians in tiny villages.
November 19, 2023
Called Heavenward
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I recently reviewed the resumes of several accomplished individuals and was impressed by their education and experience. That’s the point of a resume, isn’t it? To highlight our qualifications and pique the interest of a possible employer.
November 20, 2023
A Royal Priesthood
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As God’s children, we are called to repentance and salvation; confession and belief; belonging, obedience, and holiness. As we follow Jesus, we are all called to walk worthy, to be conformed to His likeness, and to focus on our future hope in Him.
November 21, 2023
Called to Suffer
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Suffering comes in many packages. And while we are aware of its existence, pain still catches us by surprise. We ask “Why?” and wish it away. As Oswald Chambers wrote: “No healthy Christian chooses suffering; he chooses God’s will, as Jesus did, whether it means suffering or not.”
November 22, 2023
A Burning Call
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At times, God calls particular people to a particular task at a particular time—the special (secondary) call of God. Os Guiness explains: “A special calling refers to those tasks and missions laid on individuals through a direct, specific, supernatural communication from God.”
November 23, 2023
Excuses and Promises
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I’ve heard people say that you can identify your calling by looking at what others tell you that you do best. That is often true.
November 24, 2023
The Lord Looks at the Heart
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In 2017, Jayson D. Bradey wrote an article titled “10 Qualities Church Members Expect in a Pastor.” Here’s his list: 1) Scriptural understanding; 2) An ability to listen; 3) Competence; 4) Teaching ability; 5) Good character;...
November 25, 2023
Send Me
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Humility might not top the list of qualifications for a pastor, but it should! As David Mathis wrote: “Few things poison the church, and sully her reputation in the world, like arrogant pastors.” And the Apostle Paul included humility in his list to Titus: “Not overbearing [arrogant]” (Titus 1:7).
November 26, 2023
Before I Formed You
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When He calls you, God isn’t concerned about your talents. Neither is He concerned about your age. As Paul wrote to Timothy, “Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young” (1 Tim. 4:12).
November 27, 2023
Resisting the Call
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We resist the call of God for many reasons. Maybe we feel inadequate, or we fear the ramifications. We might prefer the comfort of our current situation or have a distaste for the assignment. The book of Jonah documents one man’s resistance to God’s call. Others merely protested, but Jonah led God in a full-on chase.
November 28, 2023
Follow Me
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What does it mean to answer Jesus’ call? John Stott wrote, “At its simplest Christ’s call was ‘Follow me.’ He asked men and women for their personal allegiance. He invited them to learn from him, to obey his words and to identify themselves with his cause.
November 29, 2023
A Chosen Instrument
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Has God ever opened your eyes abruptly to truth? Has He ever penetrated the darkness of your mind like a bolt of light? One morning, several years ago, God seemingly ripped the scales from my eyes and revealed long-standing anger that He wanted to uproot.
November 30, 2023
Naming and Identity
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Who are you? If you were to answer that question, you might start with your name, your relationships, and your job.
December 2, 2023
Where Are You?
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Did you know that the childhood game known as hide-and-seek dates to the second century BC?
December 3, 2023