Spiritual Reflection, June 2024

Na'aseh ve-nishma: The Calling of Jewish Disciples of Yeshua

As we celebrate Shavuot, we remember the gift and acceptance of the Torah:

Then [Moses] took the Book of the Covenant and read it to the people. They responded, “We will do and hear/obey everything the Lord has said” (Exodus 24:7).

In his delightful book Callings: The Purpose and Passion of Work, Dave Isay shares stories of fifty individuals and how their calling impacts their lives. Their deep sense of purpose and fulfilment flows from who they are and what they do. Dreamers and healers, philosophers and innovators, subway conductors and congressmen—different stories, yet common themes. Some find their path late, after many struggles. Others know as children what they hope to become. Still others have their calling thrust upon them by circumstance.

Isay describes their satisfaction in making a living, chasing a dream, overcoming great odds, turning life upside down to pursue their passion. Perseverance, resilience, hope, and the ability to adapt are keys to success. So too is having a purpose greater than oneself: serving others, serving a community, serving a spiritual goal.

There are clear parallels for Jewish disciples of Yeshua. How do we find and live out our shared calling within Jewish, Christian, and wider communities? To succeed, we need to integrate our faith in HaShem with our daily lives. We cannot do this on our own; we need to encourage one another through supportive and loving communities. It is our service to Yeshua, his people, and the needs of the world, that provides us with the deepest fulfilment. May our calling as members of Yachad BeYeshua demonstrate and embody this through acts of kindness, charity, and justice, as our Messiah taught us, and our traditions affirm.

If you are a Jewish believer in Jesus, please take 10 minutes to fill out this questionnaire on your sense of calling, as we prepare for the upcoming conference in Lithuania.

Richard Harvey