Shout Outs And Calls

I got a shout out from Bishop Eaton at the Youth Gathering!!!!!

Me and My Big Guy were listening to the Gathering Bible Study on Wednesday while we were at Ascension, and Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton starting talking about me.

OK. She talked about the Apostle Ananias who I was named after, because she was talking about God using unlikely people to do the work God calls us to do.

She talked about how Moses, the guy who was supposed to talk Pharaoh into letting the Israelites leave Egypt, and was supposed to lead them to the Promised Land, was slow of speech and stuttered.

She talked about Paul, who when he was known as Saul, was arresting members of the church. But it was through Paul, and his missions and writings, that the Good News of God’s grace as shown through Jesus would be proclaimed to the world.

She talked about Ananias who was brave enough to answer God’s call to baptize Paul/Saul, even though he was afraid.

When God wants one of us to do something, God doesn’t look for who is the most qualified, or who is the best at something. God looks to see who is willing to answer God’s call.

It is easy to think that God will find someone else to share God’s love, or to tell someone else that God loves them. Someone who has not sinned or strayed like we have, someone who knows the Bible better than we do, someone who has there act together better than we do.

But if you trust God, you may find you are the exact right person for the job. Those who answer God’s call don’t have what they need to do what God wants. God equips them along the way. God uses all of us, our abilities and our flaws, to get God’s message across. Sometimes, it is the last person you would expect, someone totally unqualified.

Like the dog that wrote an article that you just spent several minutes reading.

Answer God’s Call. It’s for YOU>

Licks and Love

Ananias Bulldogge Campbell

Assistant (to the) Pastor, Covenant Lutheran Churches of Oklahoma City