Memorise: Let every man abide in the same calling wherein he was called. 1st Corinthians 7:20
Read: Judges 9:7-15 (KJV)
7 And when they told it to Jotham, he went and stood in the top of mount Gerizim, and lifted up his voice, and cried, and said unto them, Hearken unto me, ye men of Shechem, that God may hearken unto you.
8 The trees went forth on a time to anoint a king over them; and they said unto the olive tree, Reign thou over us.
9 But the olive tree said unto them, Should I leave my fatness, wherewith by me they honour God and man, and go to be promoted over the trees?
10 And the trees said to the fig tree, Come thou, and reign over us.
11 But the fig tree said unto them, Should I forsake my sweetness, and my good fruit, and go to be promoted over the trees?
12 Then said the trees unto the vine, Come thou, and reign over us.
13 And the vine said unto them, Should I leave my wine, which cheereth God and man, and go to be promoted over the trees?
14 Then said all the trees unto the bramble, Come thou, and reign over us.
15 And the bramble said unto the trees, If in truth ye anoint me king over you, then come and put your trust in my shadow: and if not, let fire come out of the bramble, and devour the cedars of Lebanon.
Bible in one year:
Psalms 9-16,
Matthew 20:20-21:11,
Hymnal:
Sing hymn 4
Message:
There is a lesson of eternal value in the parable found in our Bible text. One of Gideon’s sons named Jotham gave this parable against Abimelech, a child of Gideon’s concubine, who conspired with his mother’s people to kill his other brethren.
Our lesson comes from the different responses of the trees in the parable when discussing which tree should be made king. First is the olive tree, which refused to be made king over all the other trees because it felt that the demands of palace life would prevent it from using its fatness to produce oil from anointing kings, priests and prophets. The olive tree considered its calling as a producer of oil to be far superior to being a king. It knew that without fulfilling its purpose, no king, priest or prophet could be installed.
The olive tree therefore decided to stay within its calling as a producer of oil. What a great lesson! Next up was the fig tree, which also turned down the throne because it felt that the fruits it was producing were more important to humanity than being a king. The vine also believed that the wine made from its fruits was of greater importance of God and man than being the king of trees. How amazing! The question is, if trees of the field are so wise as to stay within their God-given roles in the divine arrangement, how come men are bereft of this wisdom? The Holy Spirit says in 1st Corinthians 7:20
“Let every man abide in the same calling wherein he was called.”
More than ever, it is pertinent for the Body of Christ to embrace this truth. In 1st Corinthians 12:4-7, the Holy Spirit makes it clear to us that we all have different callings:
“Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord. And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all. But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal.”
More often than not, those who struggle to occupy positions that they consider to be “juicy” lose their original place in God and become unprofitable in the positions they occupy through covetousness. They even become destructive to the Body of Christ, like the bramble tree in Jotham’s parable (Judges 9:14).
Beloved, do you know your calling? Are you operating within this calling? Are you satisfied with how God has made you and the assignment He has committed to your hands to profit His Body? As your honesty answer these questions, it shall be well with you in Jesus’ Name.
Prayer Point’
Father, show me my place in the operation of Your kingdom on earth and help me to stay in it.
Open Heavens Daily Devotional Lessons was written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye, the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, one of the largest evangelical Churches in the world and also the President of Christ the Redeemer's Ministries.
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