What does it mean to have a calling? Is it merely a career, a job, a profession, or is it something more profound? Is a call a thing reserved for the clergy, or for prophets, or missionaries? Does God call some of us into his service and the rest of us to sit on the bench and watch the game?
Dr. Guinness argues that we are all called, first to God himself—to know him, serve him, worship him. Next, we are called and equipped by God for specific service, to use the gifts which he has give to us. Guinness believes that we err when we look for meaning in a career. We find meaning only when we pursue a relationship with God, and we will discover meaning in our jobs by discovering God’s presence there, in our work.
Christians have been guilty of creating a dualistic world view. We have created two separate kingdoms: one, the secular realm of work, career, and material success; the other, the spiritual realm of worship and Christian service. Such dualism is anti-Scriptural, according to Guinness. Rather, God calls us out to be his people, and in that primary calling to himself we are meant to discover that all of our worldly activities become sanctified and part of our spiritual service to God and community.
I have said before that Ephesians 2:10 is something of a life verse for me: For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. In the Call, I have discovered some key insights into that verse and the more general question that we all ask: What is God’s purpose for my life?
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