I MUST RESPOND 2 THE CALL

There comes a time in every person’s life when the noise of the world quiets just enough for the soul to hear something deeper, something divine. It may not come with fireworks or thunder from heaven. It may be a whisper. A stirring. A weight on your heart that refuses to lift. And in that moment, you realize that this isn’t just a feeling. It’s a call. It’s a call as described by the prophet Isaiah, “And your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, ‘This is the way, walk in it,’ when you turn to the right or when you turn to the left” Isaiah 30:21 (ESV).

Not just any call—but your call.

We often go about our days busy with responsibilities, caught up in routines, and chasing what the world says we should pursue. But then something shifts. God taps your shoulder. He speaks to your spirit. He reminds you that you were made for more, for purpose, for impact, for His glory. The Apostle Paul tells us “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do” Ephesians 2:10 (NIV).

And now, you’re faced with a decision: Will you answer?

For me, the call was persistent and early. It showed up in my quiet moments, when I was alone with my thoughts. It echoed in sermons, conversations, songs, and even dreams. The same message kept returning: “I want to use you.” Not because I was perfect or qualified, but because I was willing. Because as I understood it, God knew if willing, I would be impactful for and to His purpose and plan for His Kingdom. At the time I didn’t believe it, I didn’t think I was qualified, I didn’t think I would be able to stand before anyone and sing or speak. Like Moses and Jeremiah, I had to be repeatedly encouraged before I answered the call, and the first time God showed me His help in what I was doing, there was no turning back. The Apostle correctly told the believers at Corinth, “But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong” 1 Corinthians 1:27 (NIV). God knows that with His power and anointing, we can do all and anything He asks of us or calls us into.

Responding to the call isn’t about having it all figured out. It’s about surrender. It’s about saying “yes” even when your voice shakes. It’s about trusting that if God called you, He will equip you. Didn’t the Apostle Paul encouraged the Thessalonians when he said, “The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do it” 1 Thessalonians 5:24 (NIV)?

The Invitation Cannot Be Ignored

Jesus tells a parable in Matthew 22 that perfectly mirrors the urgency of this message. It commences with, "Jesus spoke to them again in parables, saying: ‘The kingdom of heaven is like a king who prepared a wedding banquet for his son. He sent his servants to those who had been invited to the banquet, but they refused to come.”

This story reminds us that God’s call is an invitation to something holy—a place in His Kingdom, a role in His purpose. But just like those in the parable, people often reject or delay their response to the invitation. They choose comfort over calling. Busyness over obedience. Fear over faith.

Let us not be among those who refuse to come. The invitation is still open. And our yes matters, not just for us, but for the lives God has ordained us to touch.

Maybe your call is to pray.
To teach.
To write.
To serve.
To start something new.
To return to something old.

Whatever it is, it won’t let you go until you respond. The Lord told Jeremiah in no uncertain terms, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations” Jeremiah 1:5 (NIV). Not to mention His declaration of us in Jeremiah 29:11 when He said, “I know the thoughts that I think towards you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.” God is a God of purpose. He is intentional when He calls us, and we must therefore respond to the call upon our lives. Saying YES to His invitation cements our destiny not only in this life but also in the life to come.

Here’s what I’ve learned, when you say yes to God’s call, doors begin to open. Strength you didn’t know you had begins to rise. Peace settles in your spirit. You’re not chasing anymore, you’re walking in purpose. “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight” Proverbs 3:5–6 (NIV).

So today, I declare: I MUST RESPOND 2 THE CALL.

Not tomorrow.
Not when it’s convenient.
Not when I feel “ready,” but Now.

Because the call isn’t just about me, it’s about the lives I’m meant to reach, the prayers I’m meant to pray, the light I’m meant to shine. Delaying the call delays the blessing, not just for me, but for others connected to my obedience. Let us reflect on Esther, “For such a time as this…” Esther 4:14 (NIV).

If you’ve been feeling that tug, I encourage you: don’t ignore it. Don’t push it aside. Lean in. Ask God for clarity. And then move. Even if it’s just one step. You don’t have to have all the answers. You just have to be available. Make yourself available. What did the prophet Isaiah say? “Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, ‘Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?’ And I said, ‘Here am I. Send me!” Isaiah 6:8 (NIV).

Respond to the call. There’s purpose waiting on the other side.