Vocation- The topic of vocation has close ties to the journey of emerging adulthood.

For instance, as we have already seen, choosing a career is a decision that practically every young adult faces. Although nestled under the rubric of emerging adulthood, this endeavor itself comprises of a small part of the vocation subject as well. This commonality betrays the conceptual overlap of each section. Nevertheless, the following pages will not only probe ones career decision more deeply, it will also branch out into assorted aspects of vocation that are differentiated from the category of emerging adulthood. But first there is a great need to provide the biblical scaffolding from which a robust theology of vocation will arise. Not only so, such scaffolding will help us navigate through the following section on leadership because it will lay the foundation for assessing what model of Christian leadership aligns best with the biblical evidence. This comprehensive biblical scaffolding approach has the benefit of glimpsing a birds eye view of things from a Christian perspective so that, as the common saying goes, the trees are not mistaken for the forest. Indeed, one brilliant author underscores the utter necessity of keeping the scope broad enough so as to include the entire counsel of God without domesticates certain parts that are deems unappealing based on some foreign criterion, You cannot make heads or tails of the real Jesus unless you have categories for the personal/transcendent God of the Bible; the nature of human beings made in the image of God; the sheer odium of rebellion against him; the curse that our rebellion has attracted; the spiritual, personal, familial, and social effects of our transgression; the nature of salvation; the holiness and wrath and love of God. One cannot make sense of the Bibles plot line without such basic ingredients; one cannot make sense of the Bibles portrayal of Jesus without such blocks in place. We cannot possibly agree on the solution that Jesus provides if we cannot agree on the problem he confronts (Carson 386). Just as it is argues that making sense of Jesus and the gospel cannot happen without these basic categories so also one cannot make heads or tails of the essence of vocation without a robust biblical theology. Insert the Bibles epic story line. Creation. The first verse in Scripture states, In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth (Gen. 1:1). Several important truths about the character of God must be deduced from this opening line before we can meaningfully proceed forth in the creation narrative. First, notice that God is independent from what he speaks into existence and stands above and beyond the reality he createstime, space, and matter. Theologians call this transcendence. The doctrine of Gods transcendence guards against the claim that humans were made because God felt really lonely or needed their worship to sustain his existence. This may be the case in Greek mythology, but it is absolutely foreign to biblical Christianity and cannot be any further removed from the truth. The basis to this doctrine is grounded in an even deeper truth, namely that God has infinite pleasure and joy in himself. The Puritans called this aseity (from the Latin root in himself). As subsequent revelation unveils, the essence of God consists in three personsFather, Son, and Holy Spirit. The church fathers called this the doctrine of the Trinity. As a result, true love is possible in this perfect community. How could God possibly be discontent in such a beautiful scenario? Clearly, his decision to create everything in the world was 1

not out of some lack in himself. Systematic theology aside, lets get back to the story. In a mere six days, the Lord creates water for the fish to swim around, skies for the birds to fly in, heavens for the stars to shine their glory, and dry land for humans to inhabit. God made everything out of nothing (ex nihilo) and called it all good. The crown of his masterpiece was on the sixth day when he, created mankind in his own image (1:27). Humans have a special relationship with God because he made them like him. Doubtless the imago Dei embraces many components but from an exegetical standpoint, humans are in Gods image precisely because he has delegated authority for them to rule over all that he created. For he says, Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it (1:28). This means that the vocation of Gods first image bearers was to work on the earth in order to make it a more productive place. In their case, this meant tilling the soil, growing vegetable gardens, hunting wild animals, and other laborious tasks. Perhaps the fact that mankind was formed from the dust of the earth and lived in the Garden of Eden may even signify the innate desire that many have to do farm and landscape labor, or at least the near universal joy people have when they are out in nature. Only one little command was given to Adam and Eve, You must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will certainly die (2:17). Up until this point they have enjoyed perfect relationship with God, wonderful fellowship with each other, and great care toward the created order. As one scholar has put it, Gods intentions at creation was for human beings to delight in responsible fellowship with God, mutuality and interdependence with one another, and stewardship over their natural world environments (Schuurman 35). In spatial terms, they were upwardly righteous, inwardly sinless, and outwardly peaceful. This was unequivocally the case, that is, until the crafty serpent came along, and thenthe fall of humanity. One subtle suggestion by the serpent (Did God really say) tempts Eve to call into question the authority of God and add to his words (And you must not touch it). One thing leads to the next and the first image bearers disobey God. When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it (3:6). The first sin. The consequence for this is not merely the shame that accompanies being naked, although its not less than brokenness on the outward level. Even the sting of physical death, as horrible as it is, was not the biggest problem. The most important takeaway for the biblical storyline is how they were banished from Gods presence, cast out of the garden, and spiritually separated from their Maker. God judged them. They were declared guilty. Not them only but all their descendants as well suffered the same punishment (Rom. 5:12-21). In all these ways, the imago Dei was shattered and in desperate need of redemption. Embedded in this plight of humanity are several aspects that contribute to a theology of vocation. To slightly anticipate what will be covered in more depth later on, the purpose of humanity was to glorify God by obeying his commands, which included subduing the earth. Thus, intrinsic to all people is Gods design for doing work. This is not to say that all humans ever do is work, work, work, for even God himself rested on the seventh day. He did this to set forth an example for his image 2

bearers to follow. As it is written, For six days, work is to be done, but the seventh day shall be your holy day, a day of sabbath rest to the LORD (Ex. 35:2). Or as someone else has put it, The God who labors for us is also the God who rests on the seventh day, a God who invites and even commands us to rest and worship. Sabbath is indispensable for the divine life and our own (Jensen 18). In sum, Gods universal design for humanity is to do work; yet this does not come alone for we are also required to rest from that work once a week. Quietly lingering within the account of the fall is a glimmer of hope. As God distributes his judgment to the serpent, he concludes in a rather odd fashion, And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel (3:15). Theologians call this the proto-euangelion (Latin for the first gospel). Its the first of dozens upon dozens of signs in the Hebrew Bible that point forward to Gods ultimate means of redemption: the person and work of Jesus Christ. Redemption. The vocation of Jesus was to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work (Jn. 4:34). The Son of Man was sent by the Father to complete his mission, for he came to seek and save the lost (Lk. 19:10). Even though his disciples sporadically gave him encouragement, he did not come primarily to receive for this was not part of his divine mission. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many (Mk. 10:45). It was the Messiahs destiny, as foretold by the Scriptures, to suffer these things and then enter his glory (Lk. 24:26). Indeed, there was no other option, Now my soul is troubled, and what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour? No, it was for this very reason I came to this hour (Jn. 12:27). From this all too brief selection of verses at least one thing is clear: the vocation of Jesus the Messiah was to die for the sins of the world. Yes, it is true that his ministry included various kinds of miracles, healings, exorcisms, and the like. These acts, and the words that explained them, announced the dawning of the kingdom. But if I drive out demons by the finger of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you (Lk. 11:20). However, the narrative in all four gospels are moving toward the cross and resurrection. And that is where Christs vocation led him. For this is where the kingdom of God is most fully expressed. Through this act of self-sacrifice, the Son of Gods job was complete and the Fathers plan was fulfilled. The wrath of God against sinners was absorbed in the body of Jesus (Rom. 3:25). The curse of the law fell upon the innocent one who hung on a tree (Gal. 3:13). The sting of death was defeated (1 Cor. 15:56). The power of sin was canceled (Rom. 6:6). The plans of the enemy were overthrown (Col. 2:13-15). Reconciliation was brought to Jews and Gentiles (Eph. 2:13). Vocation accomplished! But thats not the whole story. Gods epic metanarrative has one final move. Consummation. Upon the completion of Christs earthly ministry he was taken up to heaven where he awaits until the Father sends him back again. This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven (Acts 1:11). Nobody knows exactly when his second coming will occur but, according to this verse, it will be visible for all eyes to see. Then God lays the smack down! He will give his final judgment on all the wicked 3

and those who have refused to believe in the gospel will be thrown into blazing fire (2 Thess. 1:9-10). For Christians, however, God will fully establish his kingdom on earth and we will reign with him in a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness (2 Pet. 3:13). In this renewed creation, there will be endless worship and unceasing praise by angels and Gods chosen ones from every tribe and language and people and nation (Rev. 5:9). Sin will no longer hold them back, death will not bog them down, the devil will be at bay, natural disasters wont happen, and governments will never again oppress the church. There will complete and utter peace with God, each other, and the created order. The Garden of Eden will, once again, become a glorious reality: Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. No longer will there be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him. They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light. And they will reign for ever and ever (Rev. 22:1-5). Quite disappointingly, none of this has happened yet. Christians still await the restoration of all things. So how shall we live in the meantime? More specifically, how do we conduct ourselves in the workplace while waiting? Well, first note a few unrealistic expectations. Any teaching that promises relief from world poverty, elimination of economic inequality, or freedom from sickness and disease is nothing less than a scam. Convoluted arguments and rapid societal growth may deceive some strong-minded people into thinking that heaven on earth can transpire now, but if history has demonstrated anything, it is that these revolutionary movements never manage to keep their promises. In many cases, the hubris of this mentality leads to a great depression or world wars. Carson rightly insists, Believing in something false about the future, but only for this world before the end comes that will expose the falseness for what it is, does not make us heroic believers (Carson 216). Not even a vibrant economy can solve this epidemic, The market system seems to have grown up after the Fall rather than having been inherent in Gods original design. As such, it can never lead to salvation. It will not, left to its own devices, usher us back to the goodness of the Garden (Van Duzer 77). Wishful thinking is one thing, but the sheer arrogance of believing in a social utopia before the return of Christ is pure ludacris. By implication, this means that immaculate satisfaction and unwavering fulfillment in any domain of existencewhether marriage, vocation, or even church life, will never materialize while living on earth. So when it comes to existential inquires, Christians should never be so nave as to think that everything will always be handy-dandy or hunky-dory in this world. Now that a few false versions of paradise on earth have been exposed, only one more piece to the puzzle remains before we can press on to describe how Christians should do vocation until the Lords second coming. The final piece contains a few synthetic remarks that tie together some loose ends in the storyline of Scripture. The Bible insists that all those who place their faith in Jesus, repent of sin, 4

and show it by baptism are called children of God (1 Jn. 3:1). But elsewhere it equally insists that, along with all of creation itself, we who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption to sonship, the redemption of our bodies (Rom. 8:23). So are we children of God now or do have to wait until some undesignated time in the future? Or again, Jesus is pretty clear when he says, I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven (Lk. 10:18), that the enemy has suffered defeat. But there is still a sense in which our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms (Eph. 6:12). Indeed, the plans of Satan still plague this world, so what can be said for the fall of Satan from heaven? Once more, the apostle Paul affirms that upon conversion we are saved from sin and justified by faith, If you declare with your mouth, Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved (Rom. 10:9-10). Sounds like it has an instantaneous ring to it if you ask me. However, a mere three chapters later he appears to flat out contradict himself, our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed (Rom. 13:11). So which one is it? Are we saved when we first believe or sometime after? The answer to all three of these questions is, of course, yes! Its both-and not either-or. In attempting to describe this tension, theologians have come up with the slogan the-already-but-not-yet. The kingdom of God has commenced with the ministry of Jesus and his work on the cross, but there is a very real sense in which believers await the culmination of Gods kingdom. In Carsons book Christ and Culture Revisited he states that, [Christs] reign is at present contested; the day will come when it will never be contested again. The kingdom has already dawned; yet the kingdom is still to come, awaiting the return of the King (Carson 53). This framework is extremely helpful not only for piecing together the New Testament, but also for understanding the place of the Christian in light of the broader culture. As Christians await the fulfillment of Gods promises, they must wait patiently in a world full of evil and corruption. Since this world is not our home, living here will bring about a certain degree of opposition since the kingdom is always being contested. However, it also provides Christians with plenty of opportunities to advance the spread of the kingdom in various ways. Let us observe some of the challenges that accompany the not yet aspect of the kingdom of God before peering into a few of the privileges of the already. Jesus himself tells his followers, You do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world (Jn. 15:19). Now certainly believers live in the world, but we do not function out of the same worldview as those who walk according to the pattern of this world. We are foreigners in this domain because our true citizenship is in heaven (Phil. 3:20). Because of this, not a small amount of persecution has infested the lives of faithful Christians throughout the centuries. This extends beyond mere family relations all the way down to the workplace and group gatherings. Whether it pertains to ethical decisions, freedom of speech, religious discrimination, public Bible reading or prayer time, the sad reality is that anyone who desires to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted (2 Tim. 3:12). This is one necessary entailment of following the example of Jesus. The world hated him, and if we are like him, then it will hate us too. This makes sense of the Messiahs profession before Pilate, My kingdom is not of this world (Jn. 18:36). 5

When conflict comes, many may have asked themselves, Where is God? Why doesnt he prevent the harassment or at least slow it down? Make no mistake about it; this paper does not intend to delve into the controversy of divine sovereignty and human responsibility. I will leave that one up to the theologians. Transparently, however, the topic cannot be entirely ducked, so I will merely show my cards without providing substantial evidence to support my position. Just because the powers of this age use the weapons of this world to halt the advancement of Gods kingdom by oppressing his people doesnt mean that those same opponents are not being used by God to accomplish his divine purposes. On the contrary, many fine Bible scholars have argued that Scripture teaches that God is sovereign over all good and all evil. Although God stands behind good in a different way than he stands behind evil, he nevertheless is in control of all things unilaterally. By implication, the decisions of worldly rules are used by the Almighty himself to test the faithfulness of his people and to bring about his glorious purposes. For instance, God says concerning Pharaoh, I raised you up for this very purpose, that I might display my power in you and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth (Rom. 9:17). The profound mystery that is implicit in such a declaration does not in any way mitigate its truthfulnessnamely that in Gods sovereignty he chooses to use wicked rulers to accomplish his divine purposes. If, for example, it could be historically proven that the government has been a source of persecution toward Christians (Rev. 13), it could equally be proven that God has used the political powers to carry out his unfathomably wise purposes (Rom. 13). The topic of Gods sovereignty will be probed a bit more later on, but for now a couple applications of Gods absolute control over good and evil contribute to our discussion of being in the world as we wait for the kingdom of God to reach its climax. First, the believer can have confidence when Christ clashes with culture because, though it may be entirely unfair, God has ordained this conflict as an opportunity to identify with the afflictions of our Lord and Master. For it is commendable if someone bears up under the pain of unjust suffering because they are conscious of God. But how is it to your credit if you receive a beating for doing wrong and endure it? But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God. To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps (1 Pet. 2:19-21). God knows how much persecution we can handle, and in his utter control of our life circumstances, he will never allow us to be tempted beyond what we can bear. In fact, he always will, provide a way out so we can endure it (1 Cor. 10:13). This knowledge ought to put our anxiety and rest and our conscience at ease whenever we are ridiculed because of the cross. Indeed our mindset should echo that of Charles Spurgeon, To be laughed at is no hardship for me. I can delight in scoffs and jeers. Caricatures, lampoon, and slanders are my glory. But that you should turn from your own mercy, that is my sorrow. Spit on me, but, oh, repent! Laugh at me, but, oh, believe in my Master! Make my body as the dirt of the streets, but damn not your own souls (Spurgeon 171). Second, we must never forsake an eternal perspective simply because of the hardship that is part and parcel of wearing a human body. The apostle Paul and his 6

colleagues refuse to succumb to despair in the midst of somatic deterioration. Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. Instead, they resolved to fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal (2 Cor. 4:16-18). As kingdom agents, we must learn what it means to live by faith, not by sight (2 Cor. 5:7). Like David our prayer should be, Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever (Psa. 73:25-26). It is almost impossible to be so heavenly minded that we are no earthly good. Our assurance for such a countercultural mentality lies deep within the sovereignty of God. Since Gods control extends to every aspect of human existence, we can trust that his promise of a resurrection body akin to that of Jesus will not return void. Tangentially related to the previous point, for the Christian our meaning and purpose in life does not ultimately derive from anything this world has to offer. It is true that God has given us everything for our enjoyment, indeed every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights (Jam. 1:17). More will be said later on how common grace affects a theology of vocation, but for now it must be insisted that, in the end, everything this world has to offer is a mere taste of heavenly glory. Nothing here will satisfy the longing of our soul, for earthly pleasures will merely increase our yearning for something more that will fulfill our desires. Jonathan Edwards captures this remarkably well, "God is the highest good of the reasonable creature, and the enjoyment of him is the only happiness with which our souls can be satisfied. To go to heaven fully to enjoy God, is infinitely better than the most pleasant accommodations here. Father and mothers, husbands, wives, children, or the company of earthly friends, are but shadows. But the enjoyment of God is the substance. These are but scattered beams, but God is the sun. These are but streams, but God is the foundation. These are but drops, but God is the ocean" (Edwards 17). Every single worldly pleasure points forward to something greater that God has to offer in the next life. If, in a moment of utter foolishness, we seek to find ultimate meaning in one of Gods gracious gifts, we will not merely find ourselves sadly disappointed but will be committing the most grotesque kind idolatry in the process. What must be understood is that God has determined, in his good and wise providence, that our purpose for existence as Christians comes not from the inside the created order, but from outside of it. Our meaning in life is defined by our Creator, the God who is there, and not by anything else. Bear this in mind because it will have implications on the study of humanity and the nature of vocation, which will be explored a little later down the road. By way of review, Gods sovereignty over good and evil ought to compel disciples of Christ who are part of his kingdom to have confidence when persecuted because of the word, to never lose sight of the hope of a resurrection body, and to recognize that the pleasures of this life are not intended to provide ultimate meaning but rather point forward to the hope of something much greater. That being said there is always another side to the story. Simply pointing to the passages that deal with how the kingdom of God will look in the future and 7

inferring principles on how Christians should live in light cultural opposition with the hope of heaven is painfully reductionistic and will not suffice for a robust biblical theology. Now that the challenges of the not yet have been considered, the privileges of the already must be explored. So here are a few bits of info from the other end that will hopefully offer some biblical counterbalance. We will begin narrowly with the Sermon of the Mount and then widen out to reflect on anthropology in theological perspective. Scattered along the way, I will offer a few book reviews that will betray how ones approach to the nature of humanity affects their understanding of vocationeither for good or for ill. It is true, as Jesus has said, that our kingdom is not of this world, but his pioneer example of prayer is no less true, Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven (Mt. 6:10). In the Lords Prayer, Jesus teaches his disciples to ask the heavenly Father to establish his kingdom here on earth in exactly the same fashion that it already exists in heaven. This prayer assumes that, although we are foreigners in this world, we still have a God-given duty to conduct our lives according to kingdom principles. There is no other passage in all of Scripture that better expresses these principles than in the Sermon on the Mount. N. T. Wright exclaims, The Sermon on the Mount is a call to Jesus followers to take up their vocation as light to the world, as salt to the earthin other words, as people through whom Jesuss kingdom vision is to become a reality. This is how to be the people through whom the victory of Jesus over the powers of sin and death is to be implemented in the wider world (Wright 218). For instance, when faced with brutal opposition believers must never respond with violent retaliation, but ought to let their response win the approval of outsiders since Christs disciples are called to be salt of the earth and light to the world (Mt. 5:13-14). If this exhortation seems radical, then consider some of the moral imperatives that call kingdom bearers to love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you (Mt. 5:44). Many more kingdom principles could be provided but the point cannot be made clearer: disciples of Jesus witness to the world through their holy lifestyle that the kingdom of God has been inaugurated with the ministry of Christ. Regardless of where believers are located in the workplace, this is our calling, our vocation. The kingdom of God is not something static, still less is it something that is geographically confined. Quite the reverse, Gods kingdom is his dynamic reign inaugurated with the ministry of Jesushis life, death, resurrection, and ascension. Currently, he is the exalted king who reigns through his people as they spread the good news to the wider world. Acts of compassion and ministries of mercy done in the name of Jesus send the message to an unbelieving world that Christ is Lord. These types of service can vary enormously in terms of how they are conducted and where they are conducted. In reference to the subject of vocation, the workplace can be a great outlet to let the light of Christ shine by refusing, for example, to join in on the latest gossip about the careless mistakes of fellow employees or to participate in demeaning your boss for the way he unkindly calls all the shots. Smalls things like this not only set oneself apart from the ways of this world, but also speaks a message loud and clear to those on the outside that the kingdom of God is being made manifest. Love from Christians inaudibly announces to a lost and dying world that the gospel of the kingdom transforms lives. 8

Moral uprightness is one small thing that may make a world of difference to a few people, but simply opening a door for a stranger or smiling at someone walking down the streetno matter how kind-hearted the act of love may bewill never come close to bringing forth social justice on large scale issues such as slave trade labor, sex trafficking, economic inequality, sweat shops, unethical decisions by large corporations, monopolies on certain resources, cases of tax evasion, increasing crime rates, vandalizing property, or cases of extreme poverty. Quite a number of humanitarian societies and non-profit organizations (not to mention government funding) have sought to lessen the impact of such harmful and corrupt systems. Unfortunately, these secular solutions have not brought about much liberation for the oppressed. For Christians, then, the question becomes: what sources should be utilized to decrease social injustice? Douglas Schuurman answers this question in the conclusion of his final chapter titled vocation in the wider world by claiming that, It is a Christian calling to make use of the resources in the broader culture to oppose injustice, work for justice, and enable human life to flourish (Schuurman 180). Whatever merits such an assertion may hold, this suggestion does not address the deeper anthropological issues, namely the nature of humanity. Transparently, one cannot talk about the presence of Gods kingdom too long before they are thrown into the world of anthropologythe study of humankind. Therefore, before any headway can be made on knowing how to advance the kingdom of God in the wider world by means of living out our vocation, we need to look a little more closely at anthropology in biblical and theological categories. To preempt my conclusions a little bit, the sad reality is that from a biblical vantage point the societal evils mentioned above are merely effects of an even greater evil: the human heart. Indeed, The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure (Jer. 17:9)? But hold on a second. People arent all that bad are they? After all, the Bible also says that God has set eternity in the human heart (Ecc. 3:11). Evidently ones doctrine of humanity will determine their epistemological starting point for developing a theology of vocation. Lets examine one author who sets forth a high regard for the potential of humanity and highlights the good aspects to their selfhood. The title of Parker Palmers Let Your Life Speak: Listening to the Voice of Vocation betrays the authors optimistic stance toward the nature of people. This short book is poetically written and sprinkled with personal stories that are marked by transparency. Palmers religious background was a strictly conservative twig of the Quaker tradition that was full of moral imperatives requiring him to conform to ethical standards that he constantly fell short of. For a long time, the oughts had been the driving force in my lifeand when I failed to live up to those oughts, I saw myself as a weak and faithless person. As he looks back on this situation he recognizes that his error was never stopping to ask, How does such-and-such fit my God-given nature(Palmer 67)? After several experiences throughout the course of his young adult life, he eventually broke out of such a legalistic worldview and as a result enjoyed the liberation that comes from being. In contrast to his heritage that demands people to strive to be better, he came to the conclusion that the most 9

profound purpose of humanity is simple existence. Our deepest calling is to grow into our own authentic self-hood, whether or not it conforms to some image of who we ought to be (Palmer 16). How does all this anthropology translate into an understanding of vocation? The implication to such an optimistic view of humanity is that, Vocation does not come from willfulness. It comes from listening. I must listen to my life and try to understand what it is truly aboutquite apart from what I would like it to be aboutor my life will never represent anything real in the world, no matter how earnest my intentions (Palmer 4). Then Palmer insists that the voice from within will lead us in the right direction, Vocation does not come from a voice out there calling me to become something I am not. It comes from a voice in here calling me to be the person I was born to be, to fulfill the original selfhood given me at birth by God (Palmer 10). To push the logical a little more, our true self and true vocation will surface as we discern where our passions and life experiences are guiding us. From the beginning, our lives lay down clues to selfhood and vocation, though the clues may be hard to decode (Palmer 15). Forms of meditation, careful selfexamination, and knowing what activities make us come alive are a couple ways that people decode these clues in their lives. Conversely, any lingering fears of failure or unhealed childhood wounds will make discerning our vocation much more difficult. Palmers perspective carries a few helpful remarks, but it also carries more than a few unhelpful remarks. It is helpful, for instance, to recognize the inherent limitations that humans have and not to place undue pressure on people to transcend what is humanly possible in the moral realm. This is what is meant by his inability to live up to all the oughts. It truly is unfortunate that the church he attended growing up raised the moral bar so unrealistically high that the only possible outcome was an insurmountable degree of guilt. The pendulum is swung too far the other direction, however, by placing such a high emphasis on being yourself and listening to the voice within. The Bible virtually never uses such language and always calls believers to look upward to God for direction and not inward to self. Such a deified view of humanity cannot be much further removed from the way Scripture constantly talks about human nature. As will be shown later, people are born with sin deeply entrenched in their entire being. Clearly, this rules out the option of being the person I was born to be, it definitely dismisses the language of fulfilling the original selfhood given at birth by God, and it most certainly disregards the question Palmer asks about how the oughts in life fit with our God-given nature. Furthermore, it can be helpful to discern clues in life that guide people toward Gods will for their future. Indeed, the better part of wisdom requires believers not to be unaware of whats going on in their heart and to deal with broken childhood experiences. All that being said, interpreting these clues and healing from old wounds can never be detached from a robust biblical framework, which must include the role of the Holy Spirit and the community of Gods people. Evidently, this book exposes the dangers of developing a concept of vocation that is not deeply rooted in the biblical view of human nature. Indeed, the Scriptures affirm a great deal about human nature. If the Bibles epic storyline has taught us anything, it has taught us that Gods masterful plan has been gradually unfolding throughout salvation-history. This plan includes one day 10

reversing the noetic effects of the fall and fully restoring his people back to the prefall Edenic condition. We have also noted that with the vocation of the Messiah the kingdom of God has begun. Yet if we take one good look around us it is hard to deny that the effects of sindeath, wars, natural disasters, and much more still linger on. At the very least, this shows the strong hold that wickedness has in the created order in general and in human nature in particular. Reinhold Niebuhr even goes so far as to say, The doctrine of original sin is the only empirically verifiable doctrine of the Christian faith. Whether we look outside in nature or inside our hearts, its painfully evident and universally agreed that there is a problem with this world. A big problem! To inquire a bit further on what theologians call the doctrine of original sin will shed light on how we all got into such an all-pervasive problem. Although many passages could be chosen, for want of space I will confine myself to one or two passages that are representative of the New Testaments teaching on the subject. Perhaps the most well known description of original sin is written by the apostle Paul when he insists, Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all people, because all sinned (Rom. 5:12). A fully orbed exegesis of this verse would send us too far down a rabbit trail; however, its worth observing that Adams sin (one man) not only brought death upon himself but the consequences stretch out to include all people. The reason for such a world-encompassing judgment is because in Adam all sinned. Down the ages, many scholars have noted that the verb tense of this final clause betrays the reality that somehow all people were mysteriously participants in the first sin, the original sin. The real kicker comes in with how, in another place, the apostle Paul explains the effect such sin has on the character of God. For he claims that at one point in time even those who are now saved were dead in transgressions and sins and by nature deserving of wrath (Eph. 2:1-3). This assumes that all people who are separated from Christ arent merely neutral before God as if they have a little good and a little bad in them. The declaration that all of humanity is dead in sin apart from the saving work of Christ is provocatively strong language. Whats worse is that, from a theological vantage point, Gods posture toward such sinners is righteous wrath. No matter how much culture wants to shout, love wins and silence Gods judgment, the fact of the matter is that God wins, which means he must remain just by not letting sin slide. From the anthropological side of things, the implication is that humans are not born good; they are born bad. If we listen to the voice from within we will fall into the idolatry of self-worship, but if we are accountable to the voice of Jesus, as the Bible commands, then our nature will gradually be transformed more and more into the person that God originally intended us to bethough never reaching complete perfection until the return of Christ, the consummation of the kingdom. Is this all the Bible has to say about human nature? Of course not! This is just the bad news, but thankfully there is also good news that contains another whole stream of thought about how God mercifully responds to such utter depravity and what he gives people to steer them toward reflecting his character. In Gods grace, he has given many gifts to all people. Consider, for example, the gift of nature. Jesus 11

declares that his Father in heaven, causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous (Mt. 5:45b). The apostle Paul agrees, Yet God has not left himself without testimony: He has shown kindness by giving you rain from heaven and crops in their seasons; he provides you with plenty of food and fills your hearts with joy. (Acts 14:17). More biblical evidence could be adduced, but these verses alone demonstrate that God grants the benefits of nature like good weather for crops as a testimony to his gift-giving character to all people without exclusion. Theologians in the reformed heritage have traditionally called this doctrine common grace. Gods common grace extends beyond the realm of nature and is inclusive of certain elements within the human being. We have already explored the implications of the imago Dei in Genesis 1:26-27 and how as his image bearers we have a contact point with the Creator that sets us apart from all other creatures. This is part and parcel of our ability to govern the created order, which is nothing less than a gracious gift from God. Moreover, since we are made in the image of a Triune God, all humans are innately equipped to reflect his community of love to our yokefellow. To help us along the path of love, God has given each of us an individual conscience. This enables us to maneuver our way through moral matters by accusing us of wrongdoing, bringing divine conviction, judging our sins or defending our integrity, and witnessing to Gods righteousness. The apostle Paul regards the conscience as a kind of law, (Indeed, when Gentiles, who do not have the law, do by nature things required by the law, they are a law for themselves, even though they do not have the law. They show that the requirements of the law are written on their hearts, their consciences also bearing witness, and their thoughts sometimes accusing them and at other times even defending them). As indicated by the parenthesis this is an excursus to Pauls overall argument that will be picked up in a few paragraphs, nevertheless for now it must be said that to those outside the Mosaic Law covenant, God has still given law type revelation to guide people toward obedience. Finally, the Bible contends that our very existence as humans in time and space history have been ordained by God, From one man he made all the nations, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he marked out their appointed times in history and the boundaries of their lands. God did this so that they would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from any one of us. For in him we live and move and have our being. As some of your own poets have said, We are his offspring. (Acts 17:26-28). Several facts should be taken away from these verses and its broader context that contribute to our theme of Gods universal generosity. First, the very real tension of Gods sovereignty and human responsibility comes out vividly in this sermon outline. Indeed, this passage harks back to our previous discussion Gods control over all things, both good and evil. Although God in his divine wisdom has ordained everyones geographical location and historical setting, he nonetheless, commands all people everywhere to repent (vs. 30). Just because humans have no choice in the matter of where they live and what time in salvation-history they exist, they still are given the divine mandate to worship God and him alone and are held responsible for any deviation from this command. 12

Second, the very real tension of Gods transcendence and immanence comes out vividly in this sermon outline. Much more will be said about these theological categories in the Frankena section of this paper, but for now it will suffice to mention that though God is far away he is also close by. On the one hand, by virtue of being the Creator, God is outside of time/space and exists independently from all his creation. But on the other hand, by virtue of making everything, Gods active presence fills the whole earth and is the life-giving force in every human being. Welcome to the biblical mystery of Gods otherworldliness and his thisworldliness! Having said this, these universally good affirmations about humanity must be harnessed by the equally true affirmation that nature and the human conscience can also serve as a testimony against us! Regarding the exterior world of nature Paul states, The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of people, who suppress the truth by their wickedness, since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. For since the creation of the world Gods invisible qualitieshis eternal power and divine naturehave been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse (Rom. 1:18-20). Yes it is correct that nature reveals Gods invisible qualities, namely his everlasting authority and perfect character, but it is not correspondingly correct that we have a valid excuse that can weasel us out of divine judgment. On the contrary, the testimony to God that nature offers renders futile any and all attempts at defending ourselves before God since he has given us sufficient evidence about his character in order to be just and fair in mass-distribution of a death sentence to us rebels. Furthermore, in the passage we looked at that refers to the interior world of human conscience, Pauls broader argument is concluded with something along similar lines, Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world held accountable to God. Therefore no one will be declared righteous in Gods sight by the works of the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of our sin (Rom. 3:19-20). In other words, everybody has some kind of law that they are accountable too, whether special revelation in the Hebrew Bible or general revelation in nature and the human conscience, but nobody has ever lived up to the standards of that law God has given them. This is all a set up for the gospel according to Paul (cf. Rom. 3:21-26) that will be examined later on. For now we must recognize that just because the human conscience can be used to promote ethical behavior doesnt mean that it cannot also be seared as with a hot iron (1 Tim. 4:2). In fact earlier in the book of Romans Paul repeatedly states that God gave over sinners to their hardened hearts. Since they did not deem it sensible to retain the knowledge of God, he gave them over to a depraved mind, so that they do what ought not to be done (Rom. 1:28). At the very least, this means that God reserves the right to withdraw at any time his common grace if the recipients of such a gift choose to live in constant and blatant denial of what is intrinsic to humanity as God intended them to be. At the very most, what this all makes painfully clear is that the fall of Adam reaches to every aspect of creation, including the exterior world of nature and the interior world of the human self. 13

For Christians, however, there is a glimmer of hope. Recall the discussion on the kingdom of God as simultaneously present here and now but also awaiting consummation sometime in the future. One major aspect of this already but not yet tension is the role of the Holy Spirit in the life of believers. Already referred to as the third person of the Trinity, the Holy Spirit indwells Christians upon conversion, which consists of faith and repentance. A cluster of passages in Scripture explains how the indwelling Holy Spirit serves as a pledge for Christian in the present that guarantees participation in the consummated kingdom. For instance, Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us, set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come (2 Cor. 1:21-22). Notice the connection between the Spirit in our hearts and how it secures the fulfillment of Gods promise for the future. Or again, And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are Gods possessionto the praise of his glory (Eph. 1:13-14). In this passage is it even clearer that some redemption awaits believers down the road and the Holy Spirit makes definite this inheritance that belongs to the Christian by virtue of our union with Jesus. By implication, the gifts of the Holy Spirit are reserved exclusively for the body of Christ. In every passage of Scripture that discusses spiritual gifts, not one time is an unbeliever in view (Rom. 12, 1 Cor. 12, Eph. 4, 1 Pet. 4). On the contrary, the benefits of gifts are always directed to Christians such as edification or instruction. It cannot be overstressed that Scripture nowhere presents the Holy Spirit as dwelling within anyone other than believers. The work of the Holy Spirit is derivative of our union with Christ, which only comes through faith and repentance. Although the Bible does on occasion speak of the kingdom of God as including all humans, it never attaches the supernatural work of Gods Spirit to those outside the church. As will be unpacked later, this reality draws a dark line between believers and non-believers and has not a few implications for a biblical theology of Christian vocation. We have observed that humans inherit original sin, choose to do evil, and so deserve Gods wrath and yet we have also observed that people have been touched by common grace, are blessed with natures glory, made in the divine image, reflect Triune love in community, receive a conscience for moral guidance, and are in some sense Gods offspring by virtue of Adams legacysome people even are indwelt by the Holy Spirit and have received certain spiritual gifts which assumes, of course, that an authentic conversion experience took place. Transparently, all anthropology in biblical perspective must put together the diversity of scriptural evidence in some way or another. In the synthetic process, there is a tendency to erect a false antithesis concerning the nature of humanity and then side with whatever end of the spectrum is conducive to personal or cultural preferences. Consider, for example, the kingdom of God motif that was discussed earlier. Some scholars have presented an over-realized eschatology that pushes too much of the not yet into the already so that out pops an optimistic postmillennialism that falsely hopes for a heavenly utopia on earth. Others have 14

presented an under-realized eschatology that subsumes the already under the not yet, which invariably ends up with a form of the kingdom that flees from any and all cultural engagement. Neither of these unbalanced positions adequately explains the biblical data. A theology of vocation can easily be blissfully one-sided unless careful exegetical and systematic work is done to offer a robust biblical perspective. This is precisely what I attempted to do by proposing a biblical scaffolding for a theology of vocation that highlights the Bibles epic storyline and the dialectical nature of the kingdom of God. My desire was to be evenhanded in my synthesis of the data and to be willing to embrace mystery at various points. This tension oriented approach does not appear to be out of the ordinary among the literature on vocation. One author who wrote a book titled Believers in Business has even structured every chapter around concepts of biblical tension. Seven conflicting themes emerged, 1. The love for God and the pursuit of profit, 2. Love and the competition drive, 3. Peoples needs and profit obligations, 4. Humility and the ego of success, 5. Family and work, 6. Charity and wealth, 7. Faithful witness in the secular city. She explains the rationale behind her title; the first part of each tension describes an important Christian theme, while the second half describes some basic components of business enterprise (Nash 37). My point is merely to underscore the role that biblical tension, and by inference mystery, has played in the endeavor to establishing a robust theology of Christian vocation. Before pressing on to my summary of the data, it doesnt seem out of place to consider another similar opinion to prim the pump for my personal conclusions. I believe David Jensen offers a biblically balanced perspective on vocation in his book Responsive Labor: A Theology of Work. In chapter two titled Redeemed and Unredeemed Work, Jensen summarizes a lengthy review of prolific theologians in the Christian tradition with the following statement, In reality, work neither saves nor damns us. The experience of work, for most of us, is more ambiguous: at times reflecting the alienation of humanity from God, at others intimating our communion with the Creator (Jensen 41). Wonderfully stated! This succinct comment carefully walks the tightrope of anthropology according to affirmations found in Scripture that are conflicting yes, but are also strangely compatible at the same time. Jensens comment takes both the fallenness of humanity seriously as well as offering assurance about the inherent goodness of human labor. A mere chapter later, Jensen suggests an equally balanced assessment of the biblical material, This transformation of human work means that some aspect of our workhowever difficult that is to imaginewill have abiding significance in he consummation of creation. The work we do matters. But in order to distance himself from deifying work he offers another true statement, At the same time, however, this valuing of human work does not result in an overestimation of work as if it were the end of human being (Jensen 66). All in all, I find little to disagree with in Jensens overall thesis because he is faithful to remaining under the authority of Scripture as a whole and is very careful in his synthetic assessment not to commit the all too common fallacy of mega-reductionism. Unfortunately, Jensens thoughtful study serves as the exception rather than the rule. As I surveyed the landscape of literature on vocation I could not help but come across, time and time again, the notion that doing work means being fully 15

human. Ponder, for instance, a handful of quotes that go along such lines. All human beings are called to the human vocation. Christians have heard the call of Christ and taken up their vocation of being fully human, and their vocation of humanizing the earth for Gods glory (Stevens 102). Or again, To live a full human life in this sensethis is what the concept of vocation involves, so that the denial of vocation means the denials of ones own humanity and the leading of a less than human life (Badcock 13). Although I do like many things that each of these writers has to say on the subject of vocation, its not easy to keep myself from cringing when I hear such universalistic language. Now, on the one hand, it is overtly true that all humans are called to engage in work for a living. In that sense, to have a career is to be fully human and to be fully human is to have a career. However, this does not say much about what is distinctively Christian about vocation, nor does it say much, for that matter, on what it means to be fully human, other than the fact that it includes doing work. In my opinion, such all encompassing language lends itself to detachment from the broader biblical scaffolding for a theology of vocation because it does not address categories along the storyline of Scripture such as the pervasiveness of sin, Gods sovereignty, the kingdom tension, the indwelling Holy Spirit, the vocation of Jesus, and the hope of a new heaven and new earth. Not to mention the underlying anthropology for such a statement assumes more common ground between believers and nonbelievers than Scripture will allow for. What then should a biblical and theological description of vocation include? Lets me tie some loose strings together in these final paragraphs. One blogger has recently commented on the terminology of vocation by dividing it into two distinct callings, When I use the words calling and vocation, I am referring to what Os Guinness calls our secondary calling. As Guinness points out, along with Luther, Calvin, and many other Reformers, our primary calling is the call to faith in Christ. Several secondary callings flow from this primary calling, including the call to work (Lindsley). Or again, It was the Puritans as well who formulated a sometimes helpful distinction between a primary calling to follow Christthe shared calling of all believersand a secondary calling to do so in a particular context. Accordingly, every believers identity and wholeness is in Christ, even as all who share this vocation are called to serve in many diverse ways (Knapp 90). Such categories warrant space for the priority of allegiance to Christ required of believers to supersede ones specific vocational calling. Not only so, such a construction of primary and secondary callings follow the emphasis in the Bibles storyline by drawing a black line between work for those who belong to Christ and work for those who dont profess Christ as Lord. Along the same lines another author has said, The distinction between the secular and the Christian use of the word vocation is that the latter presupposes someone who calls (Westcott 105). Again, this reserves room for Christian vocation to revolve around the One who calls which makes it stand in contrast to merely human work that all people engage in. Instead of hiding the work of believers under the same umbrella as all other people like the slogan to work is to be fully human does, these categories take seriously essential elements found in the Bibles storyline such as, for example, the people of God as they are called to be set apart from the rest of the world. In fact, every good endeavor the Christian accomplishesincluding work 16

ought to be done to glory of the Lord Jesus Christ, Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving (Col 3:23-24). More will be affirmed about our ultimate purpose in the Frankena section, but for now the conclusion cannot be escaped thatunlike the purpose behind the work of nonbelieversthe primary vocation of the Christian orbits around the gravitation pull of the gospel of Jesus. The great teacher himself makes such fine distinctions when he calls his disciples to Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind (Mt. 22:37). Indeed, Jesus regards this as the first and greatest commandment. This is why loving God and the gospel is our primary calling. The second commandment is like the first, namely to Love your neighbor as yourself (Mt. 22:38). The workplace includes interactive relationships with fellow image-bearers and thus falls under the second commandment of loving our neighbor. This terminology is in general agreement with Badcocks overall thesis, I have suggested in this book that the Christian calling is fundamentally to be understood in terms of the two great commandments, which are to love the Lord God with the whole self and to love the neighbor as oneself (Badcock 106). Loving God with all we have is always first and primary. Loving other people is always second and is actually defined by our biblical worldview, including the attributes of God like mercy and justice. Lets finish by examining how this paradigm may work itself out in the workplace. Why should you love your neighbor at work? Well, doing an activity you enjoy with other people who enjoy the same activity can bring about great relationships based on love and service. These human-to-human interactions are a gift from a Triune God whose very essence is joyful love. An article by Elliott Smith titled Choosing a Vocation highlights these points, High among the things which bring happiness in a vocation is the fellowship of co-workersof men you enjoy working with and get to know through work as you can in no other way. But this fellowship best arises between people who work well at the same job and care about the same things in their work, and this means between men who in capacities and interests fit the job they are doing (Doniger 181). Though Christian fellowship is confined to the people of God, the body of Christ, we must remember that all of humanity bears the imago Dei and so have been given the task of subduing the earth. Moreover, all people have received a conscience to guide them in moral decisions and enjoy the realm of nature. We should, therefore, emulate a heart of love to fellow employees since we share the same basic human qualities. All the while, we must be ever mindful of their need for rescue from the fair penalty that their sins deserve. They will stand before Gods judgment seat when they die and will receive eternal wrath unless they cling to the gospel with faith in Christ and repentance from wickedness. With all this in mind, our dealings with unbelieving co-workers should be marked with a desire to proclaim the gospel both in word and deed, and to live a life of holiness that substantiates the truthfulness of the message of the cross. For Scripture insists, But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you 17

have (1 Pet. 3:15). Giving an answer presupposes someone is asking a question, which again, presupposes a conversation. In order for this to occur, there must be mutual courtesy and religious tolerance. What will guarantee to halt such helpful dialogue are any forms of oneupmanship, arrogance, pride, entitlement, greed, duplicity, dishonesty, deceitfulness, injustice, rage, slander or gossip. These vices are simply inexcusable. They are a denial of your primary calling to love God and your secondary call to love your neighbor. Instead, your behavior should be above reproach and of a clear conscience, full of gentleness and respect, so much to the point that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander (1 Pet. 3:16). We ought to be so radically Christ-like that enemies of God who are out to hate believers have absolutely no legitimate accusation against us. In this way, they bring shame on themselves by slandering us because their indictments are in contradiction to plain reality. Such situations will happen to faithful Christians and when they do we should rejoice at the persecution and pray for those to slander the name of Jesus. In the midst of such troubling circumstances, we must never forget that God is utterly sovereign over every wince of oppression and every wave of discrimination. It is promised in his word all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose (Rom. 8:28). It certainly doesnt take a genius to understand that all things most definitely includes being slandered from unbelieving co-workers. Lets end on a little bit happier note. After all, work isnt just about proclaiming the gospel and enduring resistance. Its much more. Its much better. The opportunity to have a job is one of Gods common gifts to all humanity and should be something that gives us a little purpose and a lot of joy. Indeed, ones career ought to be pleasurable and meaningful. Even in a depressive book like Ecclesiastes, the joy of labor as a gift from God is stressed as one thing that can provide some significance in life, This is what I have observed to be good: that it is appropriate for a person to eat, to drink and to find satisfaction in their toilsome labor under the sun during the few days of life God has given themfor this is their lot. Moreover, when God gives someone wealth and possessions, and the ability to enjoy them, to accept their lot and be happy in their toilthis is a gift of God. They seldom reflect on the days of their life, because God keeps them occupied with gladness of heart (Ecc. 5:18-20). This passage surfaces one conflicting theme that was explored in the biblical scaffolding section on the kingdom of God, namely the value living in light of eternity (few days of life), while at the same time enjoying Gods common grace gifts such as the beauty of nature (under the sun) and the worth of money (God gives someone wealth to enjoy). In contrast to the stream of thought throughout the whole book, the author here gives a short remark indicating that engagement in work will bring along an accompanying sense of limited purposefulness (for this is their lot). The noun purposefulness is qualified with he adjective limited because, as shown earlier, nothing in this life can bring complete satisfactionapart from, of course, faith in the saving work of Jesus Christ. Therefore, enjoying your vocation can bring with it profound joy and existential satisfaction, but when all is said and done, What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul (Mk. 8:36)? 18

This is why Christians can never deify vocation. The very fact that all humans need several days of rest every week shows not only that our bodies are weak and frail but also, more importantly, that the fabric of this world is looking forward to a restored Eden, which will never occur this side of heaven. So Christians must always remember our status as foreigners in this world and citizens of heaven who eagerly await the return of Christ. We can do this with confidence because we have been given the Holy Spirit as a down payment to secure our full and complete redemption. In the meantime, our calling is to love God with our whole self and to serve our neighbor as we enjoy our divinely bestowed vocation. Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.

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