Pre-requisites to our calling

There are some unmovable biblical truths that need to sink in: You can’t get into the promised land without submitting to God exclusively and you have accept the character-building hardships required to reach the promise your heart aches for.

I just listened to a sermon by Maria Prean (found here: http://www.onlinepredigt.de/viewtopic_play.php?t=102&forumid=1&fileid=130)

She used the story of Jacob’s pursuit of Rachel, who was his promise, to illustrate these points. Jacob thought nothing of serving seven years for the prospect of marrying the love of his life, who would bring the fulfillment of his promise. But his work towards earning his promise was foiled by God, who put Leah in his wedding bed. He had to learn to accept this hardship God put in his path to line up his character qualities with the ones needed to walk in God’s promises. Without the love-hate relationship Jacob had with Leah he would not have lived up to his calling. Through the birth of her sons-which by the way all had meaningful names to depict his progress towards godliness: to see, to hear, to be connected with God, to praise and worship God-Jacob was able to grow in the Lord. Jacob was fruitful through his acceptance of his hardship, not his promise. Once Jacob accepted Leah, God changed his character and allowed him to have his promise: Rachel. Our primary focus should be our relationship with God. Our eyes should be fixed on Him, not our promise. Otherwise it becomes an idol. Putting anything in place of God is idolatry. God has to use hard times to bring us to a point where we are worthy of his calling on our lives. And only then have we been given the gift of attaining what we’ve longed for all that time. Running away from the Leah which God gave us makes it harder, because the next Leah will be even uglier and stronger. So let’s give in to God’s leading, and his molding. Let us trust God fully and let us not be swayed by circumstances or dreams. In His time, which has two speeds-slow and slower- we will attain the promised land. So that God gets all the glory! Amen!