Following Our Callings, Even on Shaky Ground

We all face seasons when we feel as if the ground beneath our feet is slipping away. In Matthew 7, Jesus draws this contrast as the difference between the foundation of rock and sand. Growing up in church, we sang the hymn “My Hope Is Built” by Edward Mote. This hymn was likely composed in 1834 as “Jesus, my All in All.” Mote gave an interview about the origin of this hymn to the London periodical, The Gospel Magazine. Mote said,

“One morning it came into my mind as I went to labour, to write an hymn on the ‘Gracious Experience of a Christian.’ As I went up to Holborn I had the chorus,

On Christ the solid Rock I stand,
All other ground is sinking sand.

“In the day I had four verses complete, and wrote them off . . . On the Sabbath following . . . by the fireside I composed the last two verses . . . Brother Rees of Crown Street, Soho, brought out an edition of hymns (1836), and this hymn was in it.”

What I find most interesting about Edward Mote is that while he eventually became a pastor, he was a trained cabinet maker. It is believed that he was writing and woodworking during the time he was composing hymns. Mote didn’t allow the job that paid the bills to hinder his passion. He embraced the fullness of his calling, even in the areas where he didn’t have formal training.

A Cabinet Maker Draws Inspiration from His Trade

Mote wrote a hymn about the difference between two lives built on different surfaces. As a woodworker, he connected with the need to have a firm foundation. Mote’s talent in building cabinets clarified the Scripture that informed his calling, which we will identify as writing hymns. Read the parable that inspired Mote’s hymn below:

“Therefore, everyone who hears these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain fell, the rivers rose, and the winds blew and pounded that house. Yet it didn’t collapse, because its foundation was on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and doesn’t act on them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. The rain fell, the rivers rose, the winds blew and pounded that house, and it collapsed. It collapsed with a great crash.” (Matt. 7:24-27 CSB)

Many People Thrive in Jobs and Separate Callings

Edward Mote was baptized at the age of eighteen, but as the son of two pub owners, he didn’t have a traditional childhood. Mote once said, “So ignorant was I that I did not know that there was a God.” But it didn’t matter to God that Mote grew up absent from church on Sundays. Mote has around 100 hymns attributed to his name, which were eventually published as the collection Hymns of Praise, A New Selection of Gospel Hymns, Combining All the Excellencies of our Spiritual Poets, with Many Originals.

Mote worked as a cabinet builder for 37 years before becoming a Baptist pastor. During the his time he worked in cabinetry, he wrote hymns. Unfortunately, little is recorded about the rest of Mote’s life. However, it is notably recorded that when he was offered a church, Mote said, “I do not want the chapel, I only want the pulpit; and when I cease to preach Christ, then turn me out of that.”

It seems Mote preferred to carry a light load. It’s possible the flexibility afforded him the freedom to continue composing. I’m uncertain of the complete reasoning behind Mote’s comment, but the lesson we can learn is that Mote didn’t allow his childhood or his job to prevent him from pursuing his passions.

Baptist hymnologist William Reynolds wrote that the Sunday after composing the draft of “Jesus, my All in All,” Mote visited the home of some fellow church members where the wife was very ill. The husband told Mote that it was their custom on the Lord’s Day to gather to sing a hymn, read the Bible, and pray. Mote pulled his new hymn from his pocket, and they sang the words God had given him together. This was the first time the hymn was sung.

How to Respond when the Ground Begins to Shake

When the ground beneath our feet feels shaky, it’s important to remember that God is with us. Mote didn’t know he would visit a sick woman shortly after writing the words God inspired. But he had the words to encourage and comfort a couple on shaky ground moment because he spent time pursuing God and using the gifts and talents he had been given to glorify his Creator.

Let Edward Mote’s life inspire you to continue putting one foot in front of the other, even when your work and calling don’t seem to align. Like Mote, we may experience moments when we can encourage others to lean on God even though they are on shaky ground. As we look for ways to use our strengths and gifts to glorify God, we’ll clarify ways to partner with him by:

• Reading Scripture for understanding rather than confirmation bias
• Staying attentive to God’s inspiration
• Remembering what our calling is and how God is partnering with us for his glory
• Creating margin to act around our calling (it takes time to write a hymn!)
• Continuing to worship God even when the ground feels shaky

We will face shaky ground, but we don’t need to let those seasons impact our calling. This is why the church is so important. We can encourage others and receive encouragement when we need it most as we all partner with God to live out our callings.

Beth M. Walker is an author, speaker, and experienced digital marketer. Married to a football coach and raising two sons, she has waded through the challenges of balancing home life with the work she loves. One of Beth’s gifts is helping others discern their gifts and take them to the next level. With many years of expertise in writing and digital marketing, she has helped countless people identify their unique calling, thrive in their life purpose, and pursue their courageous next step vocationally. She blogs at BethMWalker.com.

Photograph © Taylor Wright, used with permission