Scripture:  Amos 7:15  "And the Lord took me as I followed the flock, and the Lord said to me, Go, prophesy to My people Israel."

Amos was a simple herdsman who also took care of the trees and gathered fruit.  These were his duties before the Lord called him to be a prophet to Israel.  He was actually following his flock and going about his normal duties when the Lord called him.  He declared that until the Lord called him, he was not a prophet or even the son of a prophet.  His words indicate that the thought of ministry had never entered his mind and that he was just as surprised as everyone else that God had chosen him.  There seemed to be nothing special about this man whom God, Himself, decided to call.  Yet God saw great potential in Amos.  When God called him, He put His own Words in Amos's mouth and caused him to prophecy to a nation and speak out against their social evils and pagan worship.

 

When God wants something special done, He seems to call people who are busy about the duties at hand.  He called Elisha when Elisha was plowing a field.  Moses was in the desert tending his father-in-law's flock when God spoke to him from the burning bush.  Joseph was working hard in the prison.  David was in the field keeping sheep.  Paul was on the Road to Damascus fervently attempting to serve God by persecuting Christians when God changed his life around, introduced him to Jesus, and put true ministry into his heart.  Matthew was collecting taxes and Peter was fishing.  Like Amos, all of these men were doing their normal duties when God called them.  They may have been tired and dirty as they plowed the fields with the oxen or followed the sheep, but none of them were lazy or slothful.

 

God is awesome in His choices and it is often surprising to see whom He will call.  In I Corinthians 1:26-27, the Apostle Paul said that God does not call many wise, mighty, or noble to do His work, but that He chooses the foolish to confound the wise and the weak to confound the mighty.  God is simply looking for those who are ready for the harvest and will work hard in His fields.  If you aspire to do great things for God, you must start by plowing and planting the field that you are in today or following and caring for the flock that the Lord entrusted you with until He commissions you to do otherwise.  When you are found faithful in these small things, God will call and qualify you for greater things. +++