2020 is here! I hope that our vision is 20/20 vision, guided and directed by God Himself! Over the last few months God has been placing three words on my heart and mind a lot… called, convicted, and committed. Though most may not know it, and may not want to know it, we all have been called by God to be about His will and plan for our lives. That calling should also be accompanied with a conviction that convinces us where and how God is leading us. As we are called and convicted, we then must decide whether or not we are committed to what God is leading us into. This is obedience.
For many the calling is a general calling, and for others it is a very specific call. I have often been approached by fellow believers who ask me how they can know the will of God for them. As I do believe that God has a general will and calling for all of humanity, my response usually goes like this…
He has shown you, oh man, what is good, and what the Lord requires of you;
to do justly, love mercy, and to walk humbly before your God.
Micah 6:8
However, God does not always just give a general call on our lives. To some He has given specific and direct callings. You can see throughout the Bible several individuals who have received specific and direct callings. Some examples are Moses, David, Joshua, Elijah, Mary, the disciples, and Paul… to just mention a few.
I know that I have also received a specific calling from God. Being about the mission of God’s heart, as clearly stated throughout much of the Bible and very succinctly in James 1:27, is a high calling of surrender, sacrifice, and service. To this God has called me…
Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this:
to look after the orphaned and the widowed in their distress,
and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.
James 1:27
As I think about justice, I am not sure that I can think of a greater injustice that has ever existed than the abandonment and devaluation of children’s lives in much of society throughout the history of humanity. As I have read through the Bible numerous times, and observe world news regularly, I am convicted and heart-broken by children being the focus of large executions, being eaten, being stolen, and even shooed away from the very presence of Jesus. As Jesus observed such dismissal of these precious ones while He walked this earth, His response was, “Let them come to me, for the Kingdom of Heaven is for such as these.” I am convicted that God’s heart truly does long and beat to bless His children. Are you convicted too?
Every good and perfect gift is from above,
coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights,
who does not change like shifting shadows.
James 1:17
God is the God of great plans, purposes, and provision for His children. He also invites us to be a part of His heart to and for the children. He gives good and perfect gifts, and even has adopted us, His children, into His kingdom. I am not only convicted, but also convinced, that one of God’s greatest grievances against humanity is our lack of commitment and value to protect, defend, provide for, and love these children well.
As I have been convicted of this issue, convinced of God’s calling for us to join Him in defending and fighting for these precious children, I have become committed to this cause! It has now been over 25 years of my life that I have committed to advocating for children, loving on them, and serving however and wherever God has clearly called and desired for me to be! Praise God that others have been very committed to this core cause and calling of God’s heart as well!
To those of you who have committed to be about God’s heart for children, I applaud, commend, and personally thank you for your faithfulness in that. To others though, I am not sure where you are in the journey of life, but I am praying for God to give you a called, convicted, and committed heart for precious children; whether in your own backyard or wherever He see fit to call you. Please don’t stop at conviction, for conviction in and of itself can be merely feeling or emotion, if not partnered with commitment. Become convinced of God’s heart and calling, and give yourself to Him, being committed to participate in the need of children wherever and however He would invite you to do so!
Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters,
whenever you face trials of many kinds,
because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.
Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete,
not lacking anything.
James 1:2-4
In serving God by loving children, there are many challenges. God invites us to persevere. The accusations, judgments, and misunderstandings of others in no way remove the effectiveness and value of the investment and ministry to these precious children. If there were not challenges or trials, testings of our faith, we would not truly develop nor demonstrate perseverance. While we each fall short of perfection, God is faithful to help and hold us as we live a life of service to Him. I fear not the judgments, false accusations, rumors, nor complaints that humans may have for me. I know that I am called, convicted, and committed to fight for precious children of Latin America; orphaned, abandoned, abused, and vulnerable. My commitment has not, and will not waver or fade, when challenges and trials present themselves. I consider it pure joy to serve God by loving on precious children of Latin America, and I thank the many of you who have joined me and Abogar in this calling, conviction, and commitment!
In this year, 2020, may you each know what God’s calling for your life is, be convicted with certainty of it, and become committed to live out that calling for God’s glory! May 2020 bring 20/20 vision to us all! You are called! Be convicted! Be committed!
