Calling #1

Calling #1

 When you are the only one,

you are alone.

When you are in the one and only God,

you are never alone!

 

In the late 60’s to mid 70’s,

 there was a singing group

that got its name from indigenous Australians,

who on a cold night,

would sleep in a hole with a dingo.

A dingo is a native species of a wild Australian dog.

On a colder night they would sleep with two dogs,

and when the night was especially cold,

it was called a “Three Dog Night.”

Thus, was the name of the singing group

that came out with a song called:

“One“

In the song, “ONE” is called the loneliest number.

I am not sure what the song is all about

but their message is one is the loneliest number.

With God, “ONE” is not a lonely number at all.

One is a number of unity and harmony.

It is a number not to be divided.

It is a number not to be compromised.

God says,

There is one body, one Spirit, one hope, one Lord,

one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all,

who is over all and through all and in all.  Ephesians 4:3-6 NIV

God is #1!

He makes it clear,

 it is not multiple choice,

but only one way.

 “I am the way” said Jesus.

Being #1 did not come without a battle.

Ephesians 4:8 quotes Psalm 68:18:

God has led us out of captive and set us free.

Jesus Christ conquered all enemies

including our greatest enemy - death.

Jesus conquered all things for you

so you will never be alone

as long as you are in Christ. 

 

So come out of the cold;

you don’t have to sleep with wild dingoes.   

Scripture Reading

Ephesians 4:1-10 NIV
4:1 As a prisoner for the Lord, then,

I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received.

2 Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.

3 Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.

4 There is one body and one Spirit— just as you were called to one hope

when you were called— 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism;

6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.

7 But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it.

8 This is why it says:

"When he ascended on high,

he led captives in his train

and gave gifts to men."  

9 (What does "he ascended" mean except that he also descended to the lower,

earthly regions? 10 He who descended is the very one

who ascended higher than all the heavens, in order to fill the whole universe.)

Psalm 68:1-35 NIV

May God arise, may his enemies be scattered; may his foes flee before him.

2 As smoke is blown away by the wind, may you blow them away;

as wax melts before the fire, may the wicked perish before God.

3 But may the righteous be glad and rejoice before God; may they be happy and joyful.

4 Sing to God, sing praise to his name, extol him who rides on the clouds

— his name is the LORD — and rejoice before him.

5 A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in his holy dwelling.

6 God sets the lonely in families, he leads forth the prisoners with singing;

but the rebellious live in a sun-scorched land.

7 When you went out before your people,

O God, when you marched through the wasteland, Selah 

8 the earth shook, the heavens poured down rain, before God,

the One of Sinai, before God, the God of Israel.

9 You gave abundant showers, O God; you refreshed your weary inheritance.

10 Your people settled in it, and from your bounty,

O God, you provided for the poor.

11 The Lord announced the word,

and great was the company of those who proclaimed it:

12 "Kings and armies flee in haste; in the camps men divide the plunder.

13 Even while you sleep among the campfires,

the wings of [my] dove are sheathed with silver, its feathers with shining gold."

14 When the Almighty scattered the kings in the land,

it was like snow fallen on Zalmon.

15 The mountains of Bashan are majestic mountains;

rugged are the mountains of Bashan.

16 Why gaze in envy, O rugged mountains,

at the mountain where God chooses to reign,

where the LORD himself will dwell forever?

17 The chariots of God are tens of thousands and thousands of thousands;

the Lord [has come] from Sinai into his sanctuary.

18 When you ascended on high, you led captives in your train;

you received gifts from men, even from the rebellious

— that you, O LORD God, might dwell there.

19 Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior,

who daily bears our burdens. Selah 

20 Our God is a God who saves;

from the Sovereign LORD comes escape from death.

21 Surely God will crush the heads of his enemies,

the hairy crowns of those who go on in their sins.

22 The Lord says, "I will bring them from Bashan;

I will bring them from the depths of the sea,

23 that you may plunge your feet in the blood of your foes,

while the tongues of your dogs have their share."

24 Your procession has come into view,

O God, the procession of my God and King into the sanctuary.

25 In front are the singers, after them the musicians;

with them are the maidens playing tambourines.

26 Praise God in the great congregation;

praise the LORD in the assembly of Israel.

27 There is the little tribe of Benjamin, leading them,

there the great throng of Judah's princes,

and there the princes of Zebulun and of Naphtali.

28 Summon your power, O God; show us your strength,

O God, as you have done before.

29 Because of your temple at Jerusalem kings will bring you gifts.

30 Rebuke the beast among the reeds,

the herd of bulls among the calves of the nations.

Humbled, may it bring bars of silver.

Scatter the nations who delight in war.

31 Envoys will come from Egypt;

Cush will submit herself to God.

32 Sing to God, O kingdoms of the earth,

sing praise to the Lord, Selah 

33 to him who rides the ancient skies above,

who thunders with mighty voice.

34 Proclaim the power of God,

whose majesty is over Israel,

whose power is in the skies.

35 You are awesome, O God, in your sanctuary;

the God of Israel gives power and strength to his people.

Praise be to God!