In Martin Luther’s day, the notion of having a calling was reserved for religious professionals–priests, monks, nuns. Laypeople had positions or stations in life, but those were decidedly second class. Luther spoke of the “priesthood of all believers.” He used the term vocation to speak of all our roles, responsibilities, occupations, relationships and activities in daily life. Vocation wasn’t restricted to a profession or job–or to something religious.
In fact, we have multiple vocations–wife/husband, parent/child, student/teacher, citizen/elected official, congregation member/pastor. We live out our vocations in our daily lives where all aspects of life–home and school, work and leisure, community and nation, citizenship and friendship–belong to God.
To what have you been called? Take a few minutes to respond to this question, keeping in mind that the “what” is plural.
“Consider your calling” was excerpted from the All Anew devotional coloring book produced by Women of the ELCA and Gather magazine. Today, on Christ the King Sunday, we remember Isaac Watts, hymnwriter, who died in 1748.
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