“who has saved us, and called us
with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own
purpose and grace which was granted us in Christ Jesus from all eternity”
(2 Timothy 1:9)
The Lord speaks to us in the most unusual ways. He who
invented vocal chords certainly can speak to us audibly, and He who created the
human mind can definitely communicate with us through our thoughts and feelings.
He is reaching to us through Scripture and the events of our lives – He is an
excellent Communicator. And since He is the one who gave us the capacity to have
dreams that are like commercial-free television, He indeed can direct and speak
to us through what we call “visions.” We are continually touched and prodded by
both the blessings and difficulties of life, and all of it is allowed so that it
will point us into the direction of Christ and ultimately bring us into the love
of our Lord.
Life’s circumstances speak to us and they can be used by
God, as seen in the life of Bishop Alfred Tucker, who lived from 1849 to 1914.
He was an oil painter, a good one, and God gave him that talent for a purpose –
so he would “hear” the call of God and travel far away from his home in England,
spending his life in service to the people of Uganda.
Rev. G. P. Eckman wrote of Tucker this way: “one day (he
was) creating a picture called, ‘A Lost Woman.’” As he painted, Eckman said,
Tucker’s “soul grew more and more engrossed in the tragedy he was trying to
portray. It represented a stormy night in winter. A poor woman, thinly clad,
with her baby pressed to her bosom, was making her way along a dark, deserted
street. Faint lights flickered here and there, and all doors were closed and
barred. As the artist depicted the agony on the unfortunate woman’s face, his
emotion deepened, and he threw his brush aside and exclaimed, ‘Why not go out
and seek to save the actually lost?’ He entered Oxford University, supporting
himself by the aid of his brush until he graduated. He then plunged into the
work which took him first through the slums of London and then to the… country
of Uganda.”
God gave the man who was to become a bishop, the ability
to create beautiful paintings. The talent was given before he was born, not only
so he could pay for a university education, but it was also the method used to
show Him God’s intention for his life.
The year before Tucker died, Uganda's first theological
college was formed. On his death, it was named Bishop Tucker Theological
College. In 1997, it became Uganda Christian University. In 2004, the
University's theology faculty was named "The Bishop Tucker School of Divinity
and Theology." But more important than universities or titles are those who need
the Lord. That’s what the call of God is all about – that others might see Him
in you.
Note in our Scripture for today that Paul, in the power
of the Holy Spirit, described the call of God in our lives. He said it is “not
according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was
granted us in Christ Jesus from all eternity” (2 Timothy 1:9). It’s not how
clever we may be; though if we have intellectual and verbal abilities, God gave
them to us for use in His kingdom. All that we are is “according to HIS”
purposes in our lives, and we will never be at rest until His call is
accomplished through His gifts in us. When we at last are in concert with His
will, we find His grace, His unmerited favor. And this is “from… eternity” – You
are not “forgotten” by God. He has in His hand a blueprint for all humanity and
you are a part of His plan. Seek Him and you will find yourself uttering words
like, “Oh, I see!” and “Praise the Lord!” as His will unfolds.
What are the talents God has given to you? What
abilities do you have? Do you, like Bishop Tucker, have an ability that enables
you to paint, sculpt or write, artistically expressing the aches and joys of
humanity? If you do, ask the Lord WHY the gift has been given to you. Look to
Jesus, who said, “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek and you will find;
knock and the door will be opened to you” (Matthew 7:7). If you have
intellectual abilities or other strengths that others do not have, the gift was
not merely for you to make money. You have it to share with others who need to
be helped by what you have.
In the context of our verse for today, Paul, who was
writing to a younger man, said, “God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of
power and love and of a sound mind” (2 Timothy 1:7). How many of the physical
and mental problems of mankind are because we have not responded to God?” God
offers us the antidote to our fear. You may be full of indecision: “Which of
these careers should I choose? Or should I take that job?” You might wonder,
“Who should I marry? Will I have children?” Other similar questions may be in
your mind; and by receiving HIS direction and coming into concert with His will,
you'll ultimately be delivered from that “spirit of fear.”
In 2 Timothy 1:10, we encounter one of the many glimpses
in Scripture that show what Jesus Christ did for the world; for you and for me.
Yes, He was a great teacher and we can be lifted up by His words, but there is
more. Just for a moment, put yourself into the place of the person who has just
learned from the doctor that he or she has “less than six months to live.” Will
you at that point be interested in furthering your career? No. But you might
want to hear more about the statement that Jesus Christ has “abolished death.”
Will it change the outcome of your illness? Perhaps, but our deeper need is to
know that He brings “immortality” to those who breathe "Yes" to Him.
When I teach Bible studies at the Convalescent Home on
Thursday mornings, I tell them God has a “call” for their lives. Now, the
typical age of those in the audience is about 85 or 90, and some would think
it’s unfair to speak to them like that. But the truth is, God is not put off by
our age, whether young or old, or by any limitations we think we have. He calls
us, “not according to our works;” not what we think we can do, “but according to
His own purpose and grace which was granted us in Christ Jesus from all
eternity” (2 Timothy 1:9).
Bishop Tucker was called to Uganda through his God-given
talent of painting. You may be called to a neighbor down the street or your
co-worker may see your life and decide about Christ just by looking at the way
you work and live. You may be sent to another country or be called to your
family. But you are indeed called. Will you say “Yes!” to Him?
Lord, please show me what I am to do, and then help
me to walk in Your ways. I surrender to You. Thank You. In Jesus Name. Amen.
