When I look at David’s story, I see a life full of ups and downs.  A giant slayer turns into a javelin dodger.  A killer of 200 Philistines turns to a groveling mad man.  Yet through the ups and downs there is an interesting pattern in David’s early life.  David was summoned from herding sheep by Samuel to be anointed future king.  Apparently David goes back to shepherding after that. The next time we hear about him, he is again “with the sheep.” This time he is called to soothe Saul’s spirit through his music.  Despite these two incredible experiences, David kept on shepherding his life away.  Then for the third time the Bible says he “left the sheep.” This time he is off to bring parched corn and other goodies to his brothers.  The man has the anointing of a king and is still herding sheep.  David was fulfilling his Right Now Calling.

Multiple times throughout my childhood people prophesied that God would use me at a “young and tender age.”  I do believe that, in some ways, these have been fulfilled.    But over the years I have had many wrong concepts about how, when, and why. Today I have fewer answers than ever.  But this excites me, because I am no longer limiting God to my finite plans.  As I continued to grow physically and spiritually, I wondered why it seemed that God wasn’t doing anything special with my life.  Doubts and fears raged like a western wildfire.  I now realize that God was maturing me spiritually; He was teaching and strengthening me in ways vital to my existence.  God is teaching me to chase lions so that one day I will laugh at giants.  It was, and still is, a process.  But not everything is merely preparation for a future event.  I have a Right Now Calling.

My Right Now Calling is simply this: To seek His face.  It is a slight, yet radical attitude change.  God has confirmed this to me over and over again.  No matter what happens I know who I am and what I am supposed to be doing: seeking His face.  It’s a Right Now Calling.  David said, “This is the generation of them that seek him, that seek thy face” (Ps 24:6).  Late one Saturday night, lying in my bed, God used that scripture to reconfirm my Right Now Calling:  To be the generation that seeks Him.  Not “please let us be that generation” or “maybe some day we will rise to that status.”  Rather, “This is.”  It’s a radical change of attitude.  Interestingly, the next morning, the scripture reader read that Psalm.

I believe that you, too, have a Right Now Calling.  It may be a universal calling, like praying or witnessing.  But this is the bottom line:  it’s not something you will do tomorrow, but something you can do before you go to sleep tonight.  I believe everyone has a calling to fulfill today.  It’s your Right Now Calling.

A lion. Something so fierce, yet it can be so beautiful and magnificent all at the same time! Jesus was called the “Lion of the Tribe of Judah” in Revelation 5:5, which reads “Then one of the elders said to me, “Do not weep! See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah , the Root of David, has triumphed. He is able to open the scroll and its seven seals.” Jesus’ lineage can be traced back to King David, who was promised that he would never lack a descendant on the throne. This prophecy was fulfilled in Jesus, for Mary was a descendant of David in the tribe of Judah. Now that He is risen from the dead, Christ will occupy the throne of David forever.

When a lion roars it is heard for 5 miles in every direction! Jesus will and is proclaiming His glory and it will be heard in every direction. Just like a king or emperor proclaims things, so does our Heavenly Father.

Son of Man

The term “son of man” is mentioned many times  in the Bible, but let’s focus on one. Matthew 20:28 reads “Just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” God wanted to (as we phrase it) “step into our shoes” for a change. He wanted to feel what we feel — to know firsthand the nature of man that He created. He humbled himself so He could say without qualification that He knew why we feel the way we do. God became a man — the son of man — not so He could understand us, but so we could understand Him.

King of the Jews

“The written notice of the charge against him read: THE KING OF THE JEWS.”  – Mark 15:26

A king is a high ranked official. The definition of “king” in Webster’s Dictionary means “the chief authority”. Jesus is the King or the “high authority,” not only over the Jews but over all humanity. However, just like earthly kings, it’s possible for us to reject His rule. Regardless of what authority He commands and the respect and devotion He deserves, it is up to us to accept Jesus’ rule in our lives. The ancient rulers who crucified the “King of the Jews” rejected His rule, and in the process they rejected the possibility of living in His kingdom: eternal life. But when we acknowledge God as King, the reverse is true and we enjoy the privilege of being part of His Kingdom.