A reflection on my calling

Salvation. What is it? Once the original invitation has been accepted and the deal is forever sealed in eternity, what does it mean for one’s life? For the quality of one’s life.
Jesus said, “I am come that you might have life and have it more abundantly.” (John 10:10) Just what does that mean? What does that life look like? How shall it be experienced?
I asked God these very questions on November 17, 1981 when God’s call on my life culminated in a dream…which is remarkable because I’m not a “dream” person.
I was standing behind a podium, before a group of people who were weeping. God said to me as we seemingly watched the scene together, “They are being healed by your voice. Do you understand me now?” The latter question was in response to my constant requests for clarification for God’s vision for my life. I really didn’t understand, not then, and only gradually on a progressive basis years later. Healing by the voice caught my attention because I was a music minister but by no means a singer.
But I grabbed for paper and pen and began to take dictation as God gave me visible and audible glimpses.
“I am come that you might have life and that you might have it more abundantly.” God said that was to be the theme of my life – to share abundant life with others. I was almost like Sarah, but I dared not laugh. I did gasp in amazement. After all, at the time my family was living in rather humble conditions. I was 31 and about to graduate from college. We had no extra money, no car, no stocks, no bonds. What kind of abundance could I share with anyone?
God was not put off by my scoffing, but continued to share the vision. God let me know that I would have to depend on him daily for the substance of that life and that as I received, I would then be able to freely give. Along the journey of preparation as I continued to grow into the garment God had woven especially for me, God has shared customized times and words to strengthen and encourage me.
Also to instruct me that as ministers – and all Christians are – we should bear the presence of God in us and share it wherever we are.
We’ve all had people touch our lives along the road in various ways; teachers, preachers, coaches, school maintenance personnel. Just being near them made a difference. Sometimes we didn’t even realize the impact in the moment. For me, it’s like the pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night. (Exodus 13:21-22) It was God’s way of guiding and assuring the children of Israel of his abiding presence with them. That’s his promise to us, and as his ambassadors, we are called to be present and to be his presence in the global village. Present to share life, light and direction, not our own, that that which God provides through us because of our intimate relationship with him.
Life brightened by the life and light of God cannot remain untouched but must thrive and develop abundantly according to God’s divine design for each of us.
And now, 36 years later, I’m still searching for the refreshing of that call and how it will manifest in this stage of my life. But what I know is that God is even nearer and dearer to me, and my greatest joy is seeing the eyes of one who finally knows in her heart that God loves her with an everlasting love; who gets it in his soul that God loves him and keeps him as the apple of God’s eye.