vo·ca·tion | worship in the time after epiphany

Worship in the Time after Epiphany (January 10--February 14) focuses on the Christian doctrine of vocation.The word vocation has come to be associated with one's profession or occupation--the labor for which we earn a living. But a Lutheran understanding of vocation is not so limited. Our Christian vocations are nothing less than the summons we receive from God, when the voice of God speaks to us.Throughout the next few weeks, we will hear stories from the Bible in which God's voice is heard clearly:

"Let there be light."

"You are my beloved child."

"Follow me."

The voice of God has the power to create and to heal. God's voice commands the prophet to prophesy, and the demons to flee. God's calling is to discipleship, to lives transformed, and to a world renewed.Our vocations, then are not limited to that for which we earn money. God's calling is for our homes, our jobs, our relationships. God's calling matters not only in our religious practice, but also in our politics, in the way we spend our money, in our leisure, in our relationship with the earth.This calling is liberating and beautiful, but it is also costly. It requires us to live out our faith in every aspect of our lives. It requires us to move beyond self-centeredness, fear, complacency, and to have the courage to live differently.How do you understand your own Christian vocation?Where do you hear the voice of God?To what is God summoning you today?