“…I Was No Prophet, Neither Was I A Prophet’s Son, But I Was An Herdman, And A Gatherer Of Sycamore Fruit”. Can God Choose Anyone As His Vessel?
The above statement is a statement of Prophet Amos. He made this statement in defence of an attack meted out to him by Amaziah, the priest of Bethel. As I read through this passage of the scripture, something struck my mind, and I began to ask, “Can God just decide to choose anyone as a vessel to pass his message across”? Prophet Amos was neither a prophet nor from the stock of the prophets, but a common herdsman and a gatherer of sycamore fruits, but God decided to speak through him. In this case, Prophet Amos, instead of taking responsibility for his action, decided to shift it onto God. The message here is clear that God, in his foreknowledge, know everything about us. God is not destitute of people to use. We might see ourselves as not fit to do the work of God, but in his foreknowledge, he had ordained us.
Amos was a Prophet, but he was ignorant of who he was; hence, he could not discover the calling of God over his life. Everyone is called of God. Ephesians 1:4 “according as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world…” Every believer has been called by God, yet not everyone understands this fact. Prophet Amos was a victim of this; he left his prophetic calling and went into agriculture. God does not want any believer to walk in ignorance.
Apostle Paul in his Epistle to the Galatian Christians prayed to them that their eyes of understanding might be enlightened, that they may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints. Ephesians 1:19. This is the prayer that every believer ought to be praying every day.
Every believer on this earth has been given an assignment to perform on the earth through Christ. Having a proper understanding of your calling is what matters the most. Believers should not be like Prophet Amos, who was ignorant of the calling of God on his life.
God cannot use anyone he sees; before he decides to use a person, he must have ordained such a person for such tasks and responsibilities. All believers in Christ are ordained of God by his spirit to proclaim the word of God in their domain. What God wants from us is a willing heart to carry out his calling.