Today’s readings are all about "call" –God’s call on our lives. The Hebrew Scriptures and our Gospel reading both speak of the experience of being called by God. Our Psalm reflects upon the nature of God’s presence in our lives and the claim that presence places upon us.

"Call" - We most often associate that word with those in some form of ministry. How many people here would say they have experienced a call from God? Many faithful people don’t really think of their lives in that way. There is a perception that only certain or special people are called, but that isn’t true. God calls each of us. We wouldn’t be here this morning otherwise.

The call to a Christian life comes in many different ways – as our stories illustrate.

The story of Samuel’s call begins:

"The word of the Lord was rare in those days, visions were not widespread."

We might say the same thing today. When we see starvation, war and the rampant spread of HIV/AIDS in Africa, we might believe that the Lord is absent from that place.

When we hear our politicians slamming and ridiculing one another in their efforts to be elected, we might certainly think that "visions are not widespread".

"The word of the Lord is rare and visions are not widespread." Consider that this was written in the 11^th Century before Christ was born. It was a time when people were disheartened, wondering if God had abandoned them.

And then, in the night, God called out to Samuel, a young nazarite sleeping in the Temple. (For those unfamiliar with the term, a "nazarite" is a person who has been dedicated to special sacred service through a vow made by a parent. Samuel’s mother had dedicated him at birth to service in the Temple and Samuel now served the priest Eli.)

God came in the night to a young boy who did not understand at first who was calling out to him. God chose Samuel, not one of the priests or leaders of the Temple, but rather a young servant.

As an adult, Samuel, the boy, became a judge in both the religious and military sense. He became a kingmaker and a king-breaker. He established the Israelite monarchy and is regarded as second only to Moses in the Jewish tradition.

Over 3000 years ago, God called a young boy and today we still remember him and what he was able to accomplish with God’s guidance.

Samuel’s story serves to remind the Israelites that God had not deserted the faithful or forgotten Israel as the chosen people. It is our lesson as well. God does not forget the faithful. God is there even when we think we see little or no evidence of God’s presence.

Samuel, a youth, called in the night from the midst of his sleep to hear a message – a call from God. The call to Philip and to Nathaniel was quite different. They were called in the day from the midst of their busy lives – called to follow Jesus.

In this story, as he prepares to leave Bethany to go to Galilee, Jesus goes out and finds Philip – he seeks him out – as Samuel was sought out – and he says to him, "Follow me". Philip responds to this call and as he prepares to join Jesus, goes and finds a man called Nathaniel, telling him:

"We have found him about whom Moses in the law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus, son of Joseph from Nazareth."

Nathaniel questions how such a one could come from Nazareth. He is not prepared to accept what Philip has told him. Still, he goes with Philip to see for himself. We might call him "Doubting Nathaniel".

But, when Jesus speaks to him personally, his doubt is vanished: "Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!"

Samuel, Philip and Nathaniel – all called by God, yet each call was unique to the individual.

Samuel is awakened from sleep in the night.

Philip is stopped on the street.

Nathaniel is different. He was introduced to Christ through someone else. It was Philip who called Nathaniel, wanting him to know Jesus

Long before the call to ordered ministry came to me, it was the awareness of Christ’s presence during a very dark time in my life that called me to do my best to live the life of a Christian. Like Samuel, I experienced God’s call in the darkness. But it was the call of others that literally pushed me into ministry. They recognized something in me that I was unwilling to acknowledge and their encouragement convinced me to pursue the call.

God calls each of us – and God calls in different ways and different circumstances. It could be in the night. It could be as we go about our routines and daily lives. It could be through others. The only certainty is that the call does come – and we need only listen for it.

But why should we listen? A call upon our lives by God is no guarantee of a wonderful, carefree life. It’s no ticket to Easy Street. Faith in God is not an insurance policy against hardship, pain or suffering. We all know good people who have lived a life of faith and service but who still have had to deal with life-threatening illness, family discord, disease, loss, unemployment, debilitating accidents and any number of other stresses.

Life happens – and it happens to all of us – people of faith and people who believe in nothing. If you answer God’s call in the hope that you will somehow be magically protected, you are headed for disillusionment and disappointment. That’s not what being a Christian is about.

So I ask again – why follow a call from God? Why not dismiss it and get on with doing whatever we want to do? Life might even be easier if we cared only for ourselves, if we indulged ourselves and let others fend for themselves. So why do we do it?

The answer, I believe, lies in our Psalm today. As the refrain tells us, "God you searched me, you know me through and through."

This song of David, a prayer really, affirms our place in God’s heart. It reminds us that God created us, that God has known and loved us even as we lay in our mother’s womb. We are, it says "fearfully, wonderfully made." We are God’s works and the "wondrous" are God’s works. God knows us better than we know ourselves. Nothing of our being is hidden from God –and God loves us still. We are wondrous creations of God.

How comforting! How wonderful it is to know how much we are loved and held precious by God. No one – no thing – could love us more.

Answering God’s call will not set us on Easy Street. It will not supply us with that Easy Button we see on TV commercials, a thing that solved all problems instantly. God’s call is rather an invitation to a lifelong relationship with God, a relationship that assures us of God’s [presence even in the midst of life’s challenges and adversities.

"The word of the Lord was rare in those days, visions were not widespread."

That statement was inaccurate over 3000 years ago as it is today. The word of the Lord is everywhere and the visions, too, if we will but listen for God and follow when called.

If we offer ourselves as the psalmist did, if we can say with conviction,

"Search me, O God, and know my heart;

test me and know my thoughts.

Watch closely, lest I follow a path of error

And guide me in the everlasting way."

. Listen and trust and follow the word of the one who loves you best. We will find – not an easier, carefree life – but a better one