Called to an Extraordinary Life

A Call to an Extraordinary Life

Thursday, February 21, 2008

I ran across a statement someone had made concerning life. This anonymous person wrote, “The real tragedy of life is not being limited to one talent, but in the failure to use the one talent.”

Jonathan Edwards was an ordinary man God used in an extraordinary way. He was totally surrendered to the Lordship of Jesus Christ. When he was young he chose not to waste his life; instead he allowed God to mold and use him for maximum impact.

Edwards was greatly used from the early stages of his life. At age ten he wrote an essay on The Nature of the Soul. At thirteen he entered what is now Yale University and in 1720 graduated valedictorian of his class. God had blessed him with gifts and abilities, and Edwards made the most of God’s blessings.

He was a powerful pulpiteer during his day. For those who heard him preach, it became obvious God had placed His anointing upon Edwards’ life. He preached his sermon, Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God, and a revival movement began to spread throughout New England. Congregations who heard this message would rise up from their seats weeping and moaning as conviction fell upon their hearts. This particular movement became known as The Great Awakening and impacted much of New England for sixty to seventy years. The key to his life was simple. Jonathan Edwards had made a resolve as a young man. Describing his resolve Edwards wrote, “Resolved, that I will do whatever I think to be most to God’s glory, and my own good, profit and pleasure, and the whole of my duration, without any consideration of the time, whether now, or ever so many myriad of ages hence. Resolved, to do whatever I think to be my duty and most for the good and advantage of mankind in general. Resolved, to do this, whatever difficulties I meet with, how many so ever, and how great so ever.” He had resolved to follow God with all his heart; whether others did or not, he would.

It seemed like Edwards understood he had a call upon him to an extraordinary life. Many do not know that a common characteristic among those who God uses is a passionate resolve. It seems as though they know that if they are going to make a difference, they must totally sell out to Jesus. They redeem time and use it to bring honor and glory to God. Jonathan Edwards’ legacy was to live for God and make the most of the time God would give him here on earth.

What about you? Every one of us has a “God-appointed time” here on earth. We must wisely use the time for God. We must redeem the time as instructed in God’s precious Word, making the most of it. We’re called to an extraordinary life