FURTHER DOWN THE ROAD | VOL . 3
[ “ THE CALLING ” | Paul Clark ]
Welcome back to “ Further Down The Road ,” a series of stories crafted for those between the starting line and my road marker . Let ’ s continue our journey and talk about “ The Calling .”
After coming to faith in Jesus on the front porch of that Rocky Mountain cabin , in 1970 , the Lord gently spoke His calling into my heart , “ I want to give you a new song to sing to the ends of the earth .”
Uncle Sam was also calling young men my age . Fortunately , my number was never called for Vietnam . Clearly , my calling was to be a “ musician-ary ” on the front lines of a spiritual war against an unseen enemy that was killing my generation with weapons more powerful than bullets and napalm . Firmly entrenched at the headwaters of the Jesus Movement , I knew this was my life mission with no fall back plan in case this didn ’ t pan out .
Let me ask you about your calling . Are you clear about who you are in Him and what it is that He created for you ? I ’ m not talking about 10 steps to a better me , but Jesus ’ one step plan ... “ If any man loses his life for my sake he ’ ll find it .” ( Matthew 10:39 ).
It ’ s my humble opinion that each of us were created for His purposes and possess gifts beyond our imagination to live that out . That exhilarating script also leads to roads that run out of asphalt , then gravel , then dirt , then what looks like a dead end road where you question if the calling has any further purpose . I ’ ve seen that view more than once .
One that comes to mind was back in 1985 . Lumbering down the Seward Highway , on the
way to Homer , Alaska , I was in the final stretch of a mini-tour in America ’ s last frontier . Foolishly , at 34 , and still a high profile Word Records recording artist , I had allowed my declining sales in the marketplace to deceive me . It certainly wasn ’ t from the lack of ability to change . One listen through the multitude of genres I had traversed in my 11 record discography testified to that . In retrospect , I was a singer / songwriter caught in the transition of an industry that was embracing visual appeal over lyrical substance . VH-1 set the bar .
Riding shotgun in the front seat of the promoter ’ s car , I couldn ’ t take my eyes off the ephemeral colors that the sunset was painting on the endless string of volcanos across the Cook Inlet . Detached from his verbal construct , I was permitting the majestic view to induce the thought that this was God ’ s gracious way of telling me that the sun was setting on my calling .
Not wanting to be rude , I interrupted my ego and asked my driver ’ s forgiveness for not paying attention . Unconcerned , he said , “ No worries … I just wanted you to know that our radio station broadcasts into one third of eastern Russia and up to the ends of the earth at the Arctic Circle . A bunch of folks have called in to say that they were coming down tonight because they met the Lord listening to your music on our station .”
I feigned a smiled and turned my gaze back out the passenger window . Suddenly , my eyes saw a mountain peak with a plume of steam coming out of it .
“ Whaaaaaaat ’ s .. th … th .. that ,” I stuttered . He quickly replied , “ That ’ s St . Augustine . It ’ s been dormant for a while , but we ’ ve been having frequent earthquakes so it ’ s getting ready to erupt again .”
It didn ’ t take a news flash from their radio station to advise me that the Lord had brought me to the ends of the earth to remind me of His promise . Like St . Augustine , my dormancy was awakened .
Friend , be assured that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ . ( Philippians 1:6 ).
Abide in Jesus , Paul Clark
Rear View Mirror : “ who saves us and called us with a holy calling , not according to our own works , but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began .“ ( 1 Timothy 1:9 ). How has the Father ’ s calling impacted you ? Discuss .
Feel free to contact me at paulclarkmusic @ gmail . com , or my website , paulclarkmusic . com , or subscribe to PaulClarkMusic on Instagram , Facebook , or Twitter .
30 Sep � Oct 2016 ChristianMusician . com