Know Your Calling

David, in Psalm 101, lays out a list of commitments, that he aspires to live in light of. Here is a short summary of some of the things David plans to pursue:

First, David will sing to God over good things. He says,

“I will sing of steadfast love and justice; to you O Lord, I will make music”

Second, David will guard his eyes, his heart, and his integrity. He says,

“I will ponder the way that is blameless”

“I will walk with integrity of heart within my house”

“I will not set before my eyes anything that is worthless”

Third, David will reject and distance himself from the wicked around him. He says,

“I hate the work of those who fall away, it shall not cling to me”

“A perverse heart shall be far from me”

“I will know nothing of evil”

Fourth, David will execute justice and righteousness daily over the land. He says,

“Whoever slanders his neighbor secretly I will destroy”

“Whoever has a haughty look and an arrogant heart, I will not endure”

“Morning by morning I will destroy all the wicked in the land, cutting off all the evildoers for the city of the LORD”

And fifth, David will receive and bring near the faithful. He says,

“I will look with favor on the faithful”

“They shall dwell with me”

“He who walks in the way that is blameless shall minister to me”

Why are these the things on David’s mind? And why does David commit to them? What does David understand?

What David understands is what it means to be a king. Psalm 101 reveals that he has a clear and focused view of the duties of a king. Duties that have internal and external claims on his life. 

If we were to look at other Psalms of David, we could add to the list things like  meditating on the law of God — which is also commanded for a king in the book of Deuteronomy.

These aren’t just places to start, but they are the continual tasks of what it means to be a faithful king. David keeps these things close. He is regularly mindful of them, so much so that he even appeals to them for God’s justice and blessing, like in Psalm 26:

“Vindicate me, O LORD, for I have walked in my integrity, and I have trusted in the LORD without wavering.” 

“I do not sit with men of falsehood, nor do I consort with hypocrites.”

“I wash my hands in innocence and go around your altar, O LORD, proclaiming thanksgiving aloud, and telling all your wondrous deeds.”

David knows what the Lord requires of him, and he expects God to be looking for those things, and following up on them. Things which David will give an account for based on God’s calling on his life.

And this isn’t unique to David, Paul likewise has a clear vision of the calling that has been given to him, and when he has completed it.

2 Tim. 4:7,

“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.”

Acts 20:26–27,

“Therefore I testify to you this day that I am innocent of the blood of all, for I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole counsel of God.”

Paul’s understanding of his task is clear and concrete enough that he can say he completed it, that he finished the task to which he was called. Saying he has equipped them with the whole counsel of God.

There are individual callings on our lives, but there are many callings and responsibilities that are built into the fabric of the universe by God’s design. All of us are sons or daughters. Some of us are brothers or sisters. Some of us are husbands or wives. Some of us are fathers or mothers. These are God given callings that have responsibilities along with them to which we want to be faithful.

The exhortation this morning is this: Church family (and especially father’s today), understand the calling to which you have been called, and keep striving after it. Don’t quit. With God help, keep working and faithfully making progress in your calling.

Let’s Pray.

Father, you have called us all to faith, and love, and holiness. And in addition to that, you have placed us into different circumstances to fulfill different roles and ministries to which you have called us. Yet, we often lose sight of the things to which you have called us. We think too little of it, or don’t think about it at all. Father, we confess our times of carelessness to the roles and tasks that you have called us to. We confess this sin and other sins to you now, in this moment of silence confession…

…Father, we thank you that because of your gospel you have set us apart and made us instruments for honorable use in your kingdom and in your house. Renew us from our weariness or discouragement. Strengthen our hearts and hands to the work you called us to as we fix our eyes on Jesus and sing of his goodness together. In Christ’s name we pray, Amen.