Day 12 - Vocation in the Kingdom of God

Our Father in heaven...
Your kingdom come.
Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.

- Matthew 6:9-10

When we think of the term "vocation", we think of a particular occupation, business, or profession. But in the Christian realm, we think of it as a "calling from God". It might be hard for many of us to picture how our future jobs would help fulfill our callings and serve God. Most of us think that serving God through our designated jobs include charity, spreading the Word mouth to mouth, and helping others. This is all true, but what about our own relationship with God and the spiritual growth that follows? To me, simply using one's job to help others seems like a one-sided thing. The job has to be more than a means of helping others; it has to carry an intrinsic value given to us by God. Does our jobs and occupations on earth reflect our kingdom in heaven? Is God's calling only limited to jobs and occupation?

Plantinga has several answers provided in this chapter, which gives insight to what role our vocations play in other people's lives, including ours. Plantinga states:

"A Christian's main vocation is to become a prime citizen of the kingdom of God - and this is true of every Christian, of artists and engineers as well as ministers and evangelists."

It is true - our ultimate vocation is not in our jobs and occupations, but in the realm of God. This means two things. First, our heavenly vocations meshes together all the kingdoms of our friends, teachers, family, and loved ones to our own. This unity amongst all people signifies our common vocation here on earth. Second, the focus on our well-being and that of others should be beyond this earth: unity with Christ.

It's truly heart warming to be reminded that amongst this diverse, separated world, we of all people share a common place in heaven. In C.S Lewis' article, "the Inner Ring", we all are categorized into many different rings; but we all are fallen within an inner ring of "God's children".

But on earth, we all are in different stages of our lives. Some of us might be married; others might be students; others professors; and others may be working. As college students at Calvin, our current calling (for most of us at least), is to be students. In C.S Lewis' other article "Learning in Wartime", it is truly important to have some sort of education in one's lives, so that after that certain period he/she may further pursue the mysteries God has placed amongst. So as students, it is our calling to not only study hard, but to also connect with others, love others, and challenge ourselves physically, mentally, and spiritually.

We do not know what the near future has on store for us. Chaplain Dale Cooper once stated: "God's other name is 'Surprise.'" As people of the heavenly realm, we must commit to our callings, and pursue those callings aggressively and diligently. Doubts and hesitations may come in our way, but that is just the first obstacle that lies in our journey to Christ.