“Then answered Amos, and said to Amaziah, I was no prophet, neither was I a prophet’s son; but I was an herdman, and a gatherer of sycomore fruit: and The LORD took me as I followed the flock, and The LORD said unto me, Go, prophesy unto my people Israel,”   Amos 7:14-15.

The story of the prophet Amos is an interesting one, and probably many of us see a parallel to it in our own lives.

The prophet Amos already had a job of taking care of sheep, as well as gathering fruit from the sycamore trees where he lived.  He had grown accustomed to doing these things — It was his job, and yet as he went about his daily chores, The LORD himself called him to a different occupation.

Most of us have an occupation, a job that we do in this life.  We have been trained to do a certain type of thing, and we find that we have found our place in society in doing this.

But as believers, we have a higher calling and a specific purpose that God calls each of us to do.  There are deeper implications in what God would have us to do in this life of ours.

When Paul gives reference to spiritual gifts in 1 Corinthians 12, we notice that none of those mentioned find their place in today’s world and society.  To be successful in this world one needs to gain a particular skill and knowledge of a craft or occupation that they would excel in.  And yet, these types of skills and occupations don’t follow the pattern of the spiritual occupation or calling that He would have for us.

Taking care of sheep or gathering fruit from a tree, is much different that being called to prophesy to a particular ground of people.  The sheep that Amos had been taking care of for years were easily led and would heed his voice when he was out in the pasture tending them. In contrast to this, his words of prophecy were not easily swallowed.

In fact, I’m certain that those in Israel that heard his messages often times were seen closing their ears to him, or stiffening their necks out in defiance.  And yet we know that a bitter pill while being difficult to swallow usually is the best one for our remedy.

Be ready to heed the call of whatever it is that The LORD is telling you to do.  Ultimately that is the real occupation that you were born to do.

First Published:  April 6, 2017.

Selah,
~ Stephen Hanson

Stephen Hanson of In His Truth Ministries came to The LORD is a special way in 1975 and has prophesied regularly since.  In these end-time birthing pangs we are reminded that judgment must first begin with the household of God.  Will we be prepared and ready?

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