https://odb.org/2024/10/25/whale-watching
While it is generally true that if we do not respond to God’s calling, He will choose or call someone else to do the work. The principle is true because the sovereign will of God will be achieved independent of the originally chosen one. Thus, when Saul didn’t meet the LORD’s expectations, He raised up David and Jesus came to earth through the lineage of David. When Judas Iscariot betrayed Jesus and accepted the silver from the Pharisees out to kill Jesus, the LORD raised up Paul to be next Apostle of Christ even though Paul did not have the privilege of living with the Christ during his 3 years plus ministry tenure on earth. Nevertheless, Jesus met and taught Paul in the spiritual realm, showing him certain things that he was not allowed to tell the world.
2 Corinthians 12:2-4 NIV: I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows. 3 And I know that this man was caught up into paradise—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows— 4 and he heard things that cannot be told, which man may not utter.
There are, however, times when God will pursue His chosen one until he relents and accepts his calling. Jonah is a great example. When God asked that he preach to the people of Niniveh for them to repent, seeing their wickedness, he ran the other way. But God pursued him until the belly of the great fish. Jonah was about to die, and he called out to God, and the LORD answered him.
Jonah 2:1-2 NIV: From inside the fish, Jonah prayed to the Lord his God. 2 He said: “In my distress, I called to the Lord, and he answered me. From deep in the realm of the dead, I called for help, and you listened to my cry.
In the end, Jonah preached, and the people of Niniveh accepted his message and repented of their sins, and God spared them their lives.
If God calls us, don’t run away. Let Him achieve His plans and purposes through us because His plans and purposes are for our lives. We will live in the centre of His will when we positively respond to God’s calling for us. If we are like Moses, who felt he was handicapped, God gave him his brother Aaron to be his spokesperson. Likewise, God will send us help to train us up in our areas of weakness. Commit and trust our lives unto Him. Nothing is better here on earth than living in the house of the Lord as surely goodness and mercy will follow us all the days of our lives – Psalm 23:6. Relent and allow the goodness and blessings of God to overwhelm and overflow in our lives! Hallelujah, praise the Lord!
Ronnie's Thoughts 