Commitment

Apart from our willingness, we should have commitment to our calling from God. We used Isaiah 6 last time to illustrate willingness and its importance; we can use it as well for commitment. In this call from God, Isaiah responds to God's call with "Here I am, send me," and no sooner does he say this than he begins to hear just what a tough job he was being called to. It was his willingness to commit to a tough task that he nonetheless went forward with his Yes. In my morning devotional reading of Philippians 4, in verse 3 "Yes, and I ask you also, my loyal companion, help these women, for they have struggled beside me in the work of the gospel, together with Clement and the rest of my co-workers, whose names are in the book of life," I read the word "struggled beside me in the work of the gospel." We know Paul's story. We know that he still said Yes even after Christ revealed to him all that he would suffer. But Paul also understood that because of his willingness and his commitment to continue forward, listening and obeying Christ, he too would receive a great prize, indicated by the closing of that verse three, "whose names are in the book of life."

It's not always easy and yes, we sometimes think of exit routes and plans from this call to ministry; but our commitment should keep us moving obediently and faithfully forward. That faithfulness will bring Christ fruit.

Willingness

"Genius is one percent inspiration, ninety-nine percent perspiration." This is a quote attributed to Thomas Edison. He spoke it first in 1903 and wrote about it later in Harpers Monthly in 1932. I believe willingness is the first one percent of leadership, ninety-nine percent is commitment.

Isaiah knew and wrote about willingness. We read about it in the sixth chapter of his book. It comes during a time of great grieving for all the nation. While others wept and mourn the loss of a great leader, Isaiah knew to look up towards God and realize that while they still had a God, they had everything. The verses that open that sixth chapter speak of Isaiah seeing and experiencing the holiness of God. Isaiah also realized the purity of God and where he, as a person, stood in that purity; his first cry to God was to be freed from this impurity of his life and lips. God responded to that need and fulfilled it. Isaiah was made clean. The came the invitation or call from God to help in making others aware of their need before God. It comes in the form of a question, "Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?" Notice the plural form of the need? The one who responds is responding not only to God but also for all for whom God is concerned. It was Isaiah's willingness that said, "Here I am, send me."

God spoke an invitation to your life, and you may have already responded whether you know it or not. The median age of professional ministers show that for some, the first response was "maybe later." Some second-career pastors have said they responded yes because the invitation came later. Our positive response was triggered by our willingness to commit.

As you share God's love and concern for others, share the message of the need we all have to be willingness servants of God. Without willingness we are not yet at the point where God can use us.