Jesus calls us.
According to the old hymn,
Day by day his sweet voice soundeth,
saying, “Christian, follow me.”
Jesus calls – not to be confused with Jesus Calling, the title of a phenomenally popular devotional and dangerously wrong book of the same title. The book is a particularly good (or bad) example of American Christians’ tendency to outsource the hard work of reading Scripture and praying diligently. Why not let someone else do it and have her work in your inbox every morning. More here.
Jesus call us.
I will be heading out to Glen Rock, PA, this morning for a day and a half of presbytery meeting. I am looking forward to it, and none of it more than that item of business that comes mid-morning on Saturday. The Ministerial Committee will call Casey Huckel to stand before the assembly with these words from its report to the presbytery:
Casey comes before the Presbytery with the recommendation of the Ministerial Committee, which examined him on September 9. The presbytery will examine him as to Christian experience and growth, the motive for seeking ordination, and a statement regarding the person’s call to ministry.
Most LPC people know Casey as an elder in our church, a faithful husband, and loving father. And for the past while Casey has heard the voce of Jesus saying, “Christian, follow me.” Just as Jesus calls each one of us to follow, so Casey has been following Jesu for the past seven or eight years. And just a Jesus continues to call each one of us to follow him in ways particular to us, so Casey has heard a particular call, in this case to pastoral ministry.
Endorsed by our elders, Casey now takes an important next step as the larger church will help him hear as that “sweet voice soundeth.” It is an early step, by significant. What joy to be there.
After the examination, Elders Alex Jacoski, Don Reimold, and I will be called forward to pray for Casey and I will have the high honor of offering a charge to Casey.
All of this is great joy for all of us at LPC and, I think, for Christ’s church as a gifted and able disciple hears that voice saying, “Christian, follow me.” And Casey is saying, “Here I am, Lord.”
Each of us is called to follow and each of us has a particular shape and form to our following. The call to ministry is not the highest call or the best call; Jesus’ calls are not measured by such categories. But it is an important and vital call. As Paul reminds us in Romans 10 – how can anyone hear the good news without someone preaching the good news?
It’s going to be a good presbytery meeting. Especially that time Saturday morning when the Ministerial Committee calls Casey Huckel to stand before the assembly.
See you Sunday