So what?

I'm finding one of the most rewarding ways to start my week is in prison. There is something about the biblical text that comes alive in new ways when studied and interpreted among a group of inmates. I'm new to this experience of facilitating Disciple Bible study at a state prison, but the guys I work with have remarkable spirit. We were discussing the significance of call and covenant in the Biblical narrative (especially with regard to Abraham). Someone piped up..."well you know, God's call is for everybody, not just a few. God calls everyone of us." As our discussion continued, we found ourselves trying to answer how we know God is calling us to this and not something else. I suggested we try to tackle it from the narrative of Abraham. Were there times for Abraham or Sarah when they questioned whether or not God was actually calling them to something? The responses were varied and vibrant but perhaps the one i'll remember most was this: "So what! So what if I have to wait around 15 or 20 years for God's promise to become real. So what if I have to sacrifice. God's put me here for a reason and I can complain or rebel about the fact that I'm in here and all that I've lost, or I can give thanks to God that he is doing something in me and that he is shaping me and that I can be in here and study his word. So what if I have to go through all that like Abraham. I'm not going to miss my blessing."