together_90803

Posted: 9/5/03

TOGETHER:
Listen & respond to 'God's call'

In the parsonage where I grew up, our family's practice was to pray before every meal. One evening, the phone rang just as we sat down to eat. My brother, Jim, picked up the receiver and answered, “Our dear Heavenly Father … .” I don't know who was more surprised, the caller or my brother.

But what if God did call us? How would we respond? The Scriptures are full of moments in men's and women's lives when God called. From Adam to Abraham, Moses to Mary, God personally called his people.

God has called people to share the gospel in word and deed.

God wants all to hear and be saved because he loves us and wants to spend eternity with us. But the only way for anyone to be saved is to place hope and trust in Jesus Christ. If we could be saved in any other way, Jesus would not have had to die on the cross. He prayed the night before he died: “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will” (Matthew 26:39). There was and is no other way for God to accomplish the redemption of the human heart.

Our Week of Prayer for Texas Missions is Sept. 14-21. Every year, Woman's Missionary Union of Texas lays before our churches the needs of Texans and others who need to know God loves them and wants to spend eternity with them.

This year's theme is: “Hello, God is calling. Are you listening to me? Really listening?” (Matthew 11:15).

I hope your church and your Sunday School classes will pray for those who need Christ and those who are answering God's call to share the gospel with them.

When we pray for people and ask God to use us in reaching out to them, two things usually happen. We begin to sense God calling us to do some particular act of service and witness. And we want to give generously to help missionaries do what God has called them to do.

The Mary Hill Davis Offering is Texas Baptists' way of responding annually to the needs of those who need God's touch.

There are large-ticket items like assisting in church starting to meet the challenge of 10 million unchurched Texans and another 1.7 million people who are coming to Texas over the next five years.

There are small-ticket items like assisting Baptist college students who serve in mission projects and providing scholarship funds to help ethnic students attend Texas Baptist schools.

There are funds to help minister to prisoners and their families and to provide youth camps where students respond eagerly to the gospel.

When I read the description of the 64 ministries that this offering helps to support, and when I hear the testimonies of those whose lives have been changed forever, I want to urge you and all those you know to give sacrificially to help us reach our goal of $5.1 million.

Every dollar given will help draw someone to Christ.

Think about what your church gave last year to the Mary Hill Davis Offering. Encourage your church family to go significantly beyond that total this year.

The lives and eternal destiny of people God wants to save hang in the balance.

We are loved.