sufficient

vocation

Today is Easter, the celebration of the resurrection of Christ. He is risen, he is risen indeed! A combination of things have led to this post: the assurance of pardon during worship, from I Corinthians 15 and further thoughts on it, lunch with my grandmother and 2 aunts and a long drive back from Athens, a couple other posts I read today, and my own random thoughts while I was running.

As I write over and over, one thing that I am certain of in my life is my vocation- that it is truly the Lord's calling on my life that I teach ninth grade English. When I hear about most urban ministry opportunities, I don't feel all that compelled to be involved in them, because my job IS my ministry. I just happen to get paid for it. (Someone call me out here if I'm way off, fo' real.) Really, I can do nothing else.

After my wallet was stolen from my classroom in August and I had my brief epistemological crisis, I learned a few things more deeply. First, I had to go back to the email I had written to Graham that same day at noon, when I boldly proclaimed that I knew, at least vocationally, that I was in the center of God's will for me. How did I know this? Because I know my Creator and I understand (in part) his redemptive plan for the world. As I grow in my knowledge of him and his plan, I also grow in my understanding of my (SINFUL!) self and my place in his plan.

Second thing that became truer than ever was Philippians 1:21, "to live is Christ and to die is gain." My job is not about me keeping kids engaged or about how much my students learn about tone, similes, and expository essays, its about my redeeming my corner of Christ's kingdom. It all goes back to the chief end of man- am I glorifying Christ and enjoying him in my vocation?

Thirdly, how this relates to Easter, I Corinthians 15- if Christ has not been raised, then my faith is in vain, my faith is futile because I am still in my sins. Oh, he is risen indeed! If he is not, there is no reason for me to go to work everyday, no reason for me to find any joy in anything I do, no reason for me to enjoy literature, etc. It is all in vain. I see the depravity in the world around me, in myself, and without the resurrection we are lost.

And so I was thinking as I ran, why are so many Christians unsatisfied in their jobs? Why have they not "found themselves?" Rather, not found their place in the kingdom, the place where they are glorifying and enjoying the risen Savior as they redeem his kingdom? Not found their vocation, their calling?

posted by CP @ 8:35 PM 0 thoughts