A Special Call

 Mark 3: 13-19

Jesus Appoints the Twelve

13 Jesus went up on a mountainside and called to him those he wanted, and they came to him. 14 He appointed twelve that they might be with him and that he might send them out to preach 15 and to have authority to drive out demons. 16 These are the twelve he appointed: Simon (to whom he gave the name Peter), 17 James son of Zebedee and his brother John (to them he gave the name Boanerges, which means “sons of thunder”), 18 Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James son of Alphaeus, Thaddaeus, Simon the Zealot 19 and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.

What was  going through the minds of these Twelve when they responded to the call to go up on the mountain with Jesus? Being with him without the usual crowds must have been a treat but then came the MISSION: to preach and drive out demons..  A formidable task, but one they accepted and at which they were successful.  They were probably surprised at their success, but not as surprised as they would be in three or so years, when one of them betrayed Jesus.

Think back three years.  What was Jesus calling me to do then?  Was I successful?  Is that mission still underway? Who am  I now compared to who I was then?  Have I continued to grow into a faithful disciple?  Have I "slacked off"? Have I betrayed him? We all have our special call, unique to our gifts and personalities. May we be as generous in our use and dispensing of them as God was in giving them to us.

Bro. Rene