Vocation is a complex idea.  Have you ever thought deeply about the term “vocation”?  In today’s society we think of our vocation as our job, but let’s look back to history.  In the New Testament we find “klesis” which really meant ‘divine calling’.  This was not just a job this was God’s pull on a person’s entire being.

At the time of the reformation, Luther translates klesis into the german word “beruf” which basically means job.  Luther suggested that our job defines our call from God and that we should remain content to serve God through our occupation.

How is it that we find our divine calling?  Is it simply our job, or is that too limiting?  Above you can see a photo taken during one of my classes in seminary.  Here we have students studying to be professional pastors.

I believe that we limit ourselves – even pastors – if we limit our calling to our occupation.  God calls us, every facet of our being, into service.  We must use our occupation to glorify God and better the lives of other.  We must also, however, use our time with our family to grow (communally) in closer relationship to God.  Finally, we must join with others of faith to build faith communities that glorify God and  bring all into a closer relationship with God.