Alan Smith | Changing My Mind » Calling http://alansmithonline.com Tue, 24 Jan 2012 13:01:00 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 Long Seasons of Waiting http://alansmithonline.com/long-seasons-of-waiting/ http://alansmithonline.com/long-seasons-of-waiting/#comments Mon, 31 May 2010 15:11:00 +0000 http://alansmithblog.wordpress.com/2009/04/28/long-seasons-of-waiting

How many years from God’s promise to Abram until the birth of Isaac?
How many years from Joseph’s dream until he became second in command of all of Egypt?
How many years did Moses spend tending sheep in Midian?
How many years between the moment David was anointed King of Israel and the moment he became King of Israel?
How many years between the time Jesus knew he must be about his Father’s business and the beginning of his ministry?
How many years from Saul’s (Paul) conversion until he was sent out from Antioch?

I’ve been thinking this morning about God’s calling. I first responded to God’s call on my life at age 14. It’s now 24 years later and I feel I’m just now at the beginning of stepping into some of what God spoke to me then. During the process I was often frustrated and in a big hurry. It seemed unreasonable that God would delay so long. Looking back, I wouldn’t trade it.

If you’re in a long season of waiting like that, a season of prisons, caves, sheep, wilderness, pits, and carpenter shops, you’re in good company.

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]]> http://alansmithonline.com/long-seasons-of-waiting/feed/ 24 John Wesley on Reading http://alansmithonline.com/john-wesley-on-reading/ http://alansmithonline.com/john-wesley-on-reading/#comments Sat, 02 May 2009 15:32:00 +0000 http://alansmithblog.wordpress.com/2009/05/02/john-wesley-on-reading “What has exceedingly hurt you in time past, nay, and I fear, to this day, is want of reading. I scarce ever knew a preacher who read so little. And perhaps, by neglecting it, you have lost the taste for it. Hence your talent in preaching does not increase. It is just the same as it was seven years ago. It is lively, but not deep; there is little variety; there is no compass of thought. Reading only can supply this, with meditation and daily prayer. You wrong yourself greatly by omitting this. You can never be a deep preacher without it, any more than a thorough Christian. Oh begin! Fix some part of every day for private exercises. You may acquire the taste which you have not; what is tedious at first will afterwards be pleasant. Whether you like it or no, read and pray daily. It is for your life; there is no other way; else you will be a trifler all your days, and a pretty, superficial preacher. Do justice to your own soul; give it time and means to grow. Do not starve yourself any longer. Take up your cross and be a Christian altogether. Then will all the children of God rejoice (not grieve) over you; and in particular yours.”

John Wesley, writing to a young preacher, quoted in D. A. Carson and John D. Woodbridge, Letters Along The Way, page 169.

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