Devotional: God is calling… You need to answer it
God calling…
Like many of you, I do not appreciate all the telephone calls I receive. I really do not appreciate unwanted calls on my cell phone.
Even with caller I.D., we are never quite sure if the call is a sales call or a long-distance relative. There have been times we have received a call and knew who was on the other end by the caller I.D. Maybe it’s Aunt Tillie, calling to complain about her neighbor’s cat for the hundredth time, or your parent(s) calling to remind us that we have not “dropped in” for a visit in a long time. We hesitate to accept the call. The point is that there are times when we do not answer a call.
I believe that the world is in a “don’t answer that call” mode. We are appalled at the violence in our country, never imagining that it could happen at “home.” We are brought to tears as we watch with horror the events of the world. If we are honest, we would admit that there are times when we wonder where God is and why God has not prevented evil to exist.
The latter is a conversation for a different time. However, the former is easily answered — God is near. I am convinced that God calls each and everyone one of us — yes, even you! — to adopt an agenda of peace. That is the reason that God sent Jesus — to show us how God wants us to live. And yet we question God’s presence or, in some cases, deny God’s presence. In reality, God is present and is calling. Like the telemarketer who calls wanting us to buy something useless or donate money to some charity, we ignore the call.
We need to take God’s call. I will grant you that you may not feel comfortable with what God is calling you, but answer the phone.
My cell phone ring tone is a Minion saying, “Pick up the phone.” It gets louder and louder until, at the very end, the Minion is shouting “PICK UP THE PHONE!” I think it is a wonderful metaphor for us. We can try to disregard the call, but God will just keep calling. PICK UP THE PHONE!
Blessings,
Rev. Jerry Amiri, senior pastor
Salem UCC, Alhambra
This story was originally published July 29, 2016 at 8:36 AM with the headline "Devotional: God is calling… You need to answer it."