And he went up on the mountain and called to him those whom he desired, and they came to him (Mark 3.13)

Connecting words are fascinating. Every minor variation speaks nuance. Humanity was made on purpose. The men, women and children who populate this spinning sphere were made on purpose. Not accident or happenstance but creative power exerted for a reason. Now change one word: Humanity was made with purpose. We move beyond an act of Divine creation to a driving holy intention. All nations and languages have been imbued with a shared reason for existence. Our lives are more than just a meaningless moment between cradle and grave. We are more than just transients between womb and tomb.

Humanity was made for a purpose. Into the chaos and crumbling of our failed systems, God calls to us. He calls us back to Himself for a purpose. To know Him. To experience His presence and call others to enjoy His love.

But how often and how quickly we forget. We become so overwhelmed with the mundane we fail to breathe in God’s presence. And when we do happen to remember our purpose, the world explodes in politics and wars and furies. We can hardly see purpose through the clouds of debris and smoke, or hear His calling through our ringing ears.

So Jesus stands above them all. The mundane and the incomprehensible. He stands on the mountain and He calls us. He repeats the call He’s been making from the very beginning. He calls us to discipleship: to be near Him, to walk with Him and rejoice in His nearness; to carry His love and gospel to the world around us who have forgotten or never heard His name. Jesus, the caller of disciples is still calling.

Jesus, I hear you calling. Help us draw near and create space for others to experience your love.