I have been pondering something, partly because of what is happening at Asbury. I thought I would share it with you.

What have Abraham, Moses, Isaiah, the disciples, and the Apostle Paul have in common?

I mean apart from being in the Bible.

The first thing many of us will think of is that they all had a powerful encounter with God.

Abraham encountered God in his old age.

Moses met God in the burning bush.

Isaiah had a vision of God in the Temple.

The Disciples encountered the Risen Christ and saw him ascend into heaven.

Saul of Tarsus was confronted by Jesus on the Damascus Road.

But that’s only half the story.

Abraham heard the Lord say this, “The Lord had said to Abram, “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you. ² “I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing.³ I will bless those who bless you,  and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.” Gen 12

God told Moses,  So now, go. I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people the Israelites out of Egypt. Lev 3:10

The Lord had some to say to Isaiah, “Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, ‘Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?’” Isaiah 6: 8

Jesus had some very specific instructions for the disciples, “18 Then Jesus came to them and said, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Matthew 28:18-20

This is what Jesus said to Paul, ““Now get up and stand on your feet. I have appeared to you to appoint you as a servant and as a witness of what you have seen and will see of me. 17 I will rescue you from your own people and from the Gentiles. I am sending you to them 18 to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.” Acts 26

In each of those cases, a profound encounter with God led to a significant commission from God. To meet with God is to be sent by God.

We are hearing a great deal right now about encountering God in deeply significant ways because of what is happening at Asbury. Thousands of people are making their way to Wilmore in the hope of an encounter with God.

I think that is a good thing. It’s great that people have a hunger for God.

However, they should know that an encounter with God always leads to a commission from God.

The Lord never meets with us simply to give us some sort of spiritual high.

God meets with us to equip us and commission us and I doubt we really have had a profound meeting with God if we don’t feel called by God in some way to some task.

What do you think?