Resisting God’s Call

His paintings sell for millions of dollars each, he is one of the most well known painters of history, the world considers him a master, but when you look closer at the life of Vincent Van Gogh you see the ultimate failure.

 In his early life, he pursued a call of God in the ministry.  After having left the school, he ministered to miners who had been burned in the underground explosions. Yet, something then happened that prompted him to give up the ministry and pursue a different calling, that of art.

 Soon we find him in the public houses (similar to today’s bars), frequenting prostitutes, one of which he actually lived with for over a year. He sank deeper and deeper into despair and ultimately a mental breakdown.  It was during this time he actually cut part of his ear off to give to a prostitute.  Soon, he admitted himself into a mental hospital, and was discharged about a year later.  During this whole time, he had a younger brother by the name of Theo, who supported him by sending money to Vincent every month.  Vincent would write frequent letters to his brother, who in turned saved them, and it was in these letters, some of which we have today, that Vincent wrote “There is a God who knows what we want better then we do ourselves and who helps us whenever we are in need.”

 Eventually, not finding what his soul was searching for, he shot himself in the stomach.  They called for his brother Theo, who held him in his arms the closing hours of Vincent’s life, and then Vincent Van Gogh went off into eternity without God.

 How does this relate to us?  We too have a calling on our life.  You may not be called to be a preacher, but we are all called to come to Jesus and start a new life. (Matt 11:28, Rev. 22:17)  It is when we resist that call that our soul is endangered. (Prov. 1:24-28)

 It is then, we look for satisfaction in the things of the world, paying a steeper and steeper price, even our own self destruction, as Van Gogh cut off his ear to give to a prostitute.

 It is interesting to note that Vincent’s brother’s name is Theo.  Meaning God, Theology is the study of God. Like Theo supported him through his life, we have a heavenly brother, none other than God himself, Jesus Christ, who gives us air to breath, and strength to live, all the while calling us to Him. (…The Goodness of God leadeth us to repentance.( Rom. 2:4))

 Yet, when Van Gogh had so destroyed his life, there was nothing Theo could do at the end, but hold him when he died.  God can do nothing if we will not surrender to Him.  If we resist His call, we are destined to a destroyed eternity.

 This is certainly not God’s desire in our life, and He calls us to repent so that He may give us life and bless our time, now and in eternity.

 Don’t resist His call.