How differently people speak about having a vocation.
The exercise of various humane professions is often embellished with the halo of divine calling. Young people study theology because they have felt a ‘calling’. Many change their mind rather soon, and the vocation either changes to acquiescence, or they hastily choose a different occupation. When people are called to the ministry out of an active social life, they are often referred to as fulfilling a late vocation, but the strange thing is, that the Bible mentions more late callings than early ones…
Young Timothy was called too, not when he was quietly sitting in a corner, but from the middle of the congregation, by a prophetic word. Likewise, Paul was called in the church of Antioch to go to the gentiles (Acts 13:2). So this was a vocation with numerous witnesses. The whole congregation supported it and shared the responsibility for this calling.
Are there no more Christians with such a prophetic calling? Does God not speak anymore in the middle of the church? Are they still among us, these devoted servants, who want to be made instruments in the hands of the living Lord? If no more prophetic words are spoken anymore to give guidance to the church and all her believers, how will young people know what to live for? It is about time for us to realize that young people cannot - and will not - value a historical faith, professing a ‘God of the past’ Who only acted a long, long time ago.
No, even nowadays, God longs to tell young and old people what is yet to come, if only we are willing to listen! (John 16:13).