He Is Calling You

My Beloved Zion Memorial Church Family,

I am thankful that God's house was so full of His children on Sunday as we celebrated all mothers on Mother's Day - those of the past, present, and future; those of birth, instruction, support, and guidance; any and all who have dared to give of self to help someone else, their own or others. I pray that all of our mothers felt appreciated.

We say that there is nothing like a mother's love. I can attest to the truth of that as my mother was my teacher, guide, advocate, and friend during our thirty-five years together on this side of glory. She was the first one to truly show me what love is. I realize that love was a way for me to begin to experience the incredible love, the greatest love, God's love.

As my mother called my name, I know that God also calls my name. Beloved, God calls your name too.

He is forever calling you.

Why? Because as you have been loved by your mother, God loves you even more.

In Ezekiel 34:15-16, we see an instance of God's call in love, "I myself will be the shepherd of my sheep, and I will make them lie down, says the LORD GOD. I will seek the lost, and I will bring back the strayed, and I will bind up the injured, and I will strengthen the weak."

As a child knows the voice of their mother and the mother knows the voice of her child, so sheep know the voice of their shepherd and the shepherd discerns the sounds of his sheep. God calls and, prayerfully, we answer the call of God. He is calling you.

And, in answering the call of God, it is not unlike when we have been disturbed or discomforted and heard a soothing word of reason, revealing light and inspiration in life from our mothers. God calls us from being overwhelmed by this sometimes chaotic world to a place of peace of mind, heart and spirit that contrasts the trouble that may still exist around us. He is calling you.

When we have lost our way, our mothers have continued to open their hearts and homes to us. God desires you so much that He does not wait for you to come home. No, He looks for you to show you the way back home. He is calling you.

When we know right and choose to do wrong, our mothers still believe the best is in us to tell or even yell to the world that we are good boys and good girls when the evidence may sometimes be lacking. God looks beyond your faults and flaws to see the best that He has planted inside of you waiting for the season of manifestation of your best self and His revelation through you living freely in His truth about you. He is calling you.

When we fall down and hurt ourselves, our mothers have a way of washing away the dirt and blood, blowing soothing breath on our wounds, and speaking healing words of wisdom over our situations. God is the breath of life and can not only take away your pain but use it to propel you to positions and heights of prominence that your own imagination would find unfathomable and unbelievable. He is calling you.

And, when we find that we are completely exhausted from running life's sometimes unfair race, our mothers have a way of simply saying it will be alright and somehow just hearing it actually begins to make us feel and believe in the possibility it can be alright when everything seems to be going all wrong. God seeks you in your weakness so that you can know that He is all-sufficient in His strength that greatly surpasses our own. He is calling you.

He is calling you.

He is calling YOU.

HE IS CALLING YOU!

When He calls, I pray that your answer to Him will simply be, "Yes."

We sing, "I'll say Yes, Lord, Yes, to your will and to your way. I'll say Yes, Lord, Yes. I will trust you and obey. When the Spirit speaks to me, with my whole heart, I'll agree. And, my answer will be Yes, Lord, Yes."

Let us in spirit, heart, mind, and body say, "Yes", to God who is calling all to the best that He has for us which is the best that we will ever have and ever be.

We will continue our journey in learning how to communicate with the God who is calling us in prayer tonight at HOPE Wednesday. We will begin the last part of our journey with the section entitled, "Doing Prayer". I am excited for all of us and I thank God for your persistence and patience in coming. This has been one of our longest journeys but I pray it has also been one of our most rewarding.

You come and bring someone with you. Let them know that God is calling you and God is calling them too.

And, remember, God loves you and I love you too!

Be blessed,

Rev. Cain