Ya know, a lot of times God puts us into to situations that require us to get off of our pews and go out to actually do His work in our communities, our churches, and our lives. The great thing about the God whom we serve is that not only does He call us in these ways, but most often, He calls us whether we are ready to meet the challenges or not. Remember what God said to Moses from the burning bush:
3:11 And Moses said unto God, Who am I, that I should go unto Pharaoh, and that I should bring forth the children of Israel out of Egypt? 3:12 And he said, Certainly I will be with thee; and this shall be the token unto thee, that I have sent thee: when thou hast brought forth the people out of Egypt, ye shall serve God upon this mountain. God can move anyon, regardless of their strength, power, or position, and use them to serve His kingdom. He is there to help us when we need Him, ready to back us up in anything as long as we do it according to His word. Moses, of course, was not the only person in the Bible reluctant to serve God. In the new testament, one of the most powerful images is the conversion of Paull on the road to Damascus. As a persucuter of the Jews, Paul was definately not in a position to lead the early Christians. Because he was not ready, hoever, God made him ready. 9:13 But Ananias answered, Lord, I have heard from many of this man, how much evil he did to thy saints at Jerusalem: 9:14 and here he hath authority from the chief priests to bind all that call upon thy name. 9:15 But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles and kings, and the children of Israel: 9:16 for I will show him how many things he must suffer for my name's sake. Like Paul, we are all chosen to be vessels unto God. We have been commissioned, each of us, to go out into the world and pass the word of God on to others. We have recieved the Church and its blessings as an inheritance, a gift of God; as Brother Greg preached about on Sunday night, we are called on by God to honor and glorify this gift. Furthermore, he offers strict response to those who do not: 26:14 But if ye will not hearken unto me, and will not do all these commandments; 26:15 and if ye shall reject my statutes, and if your soul abhor mine ordinances, so that ye will not do all my commandments, but break my covenant; 26:16 I also will do this unto you: I will appoint terror over you, even consumption and fever, that shall consume the eyes, and make the soul to pine away; and ye shall sow your seed in vain, for your enemies shall eat it. 26:17 And I will set my face against you, and ye shall be smitten before your enemies: they that hate you shall rule over you; and ye shall flee when none pursueth you. Sometimes, as in the case of Moses, the job we have been called to do is something HUGE. Moses was to become a leader amongst the Israelites, to lead them out of captivity, and to fly in the face of Pharoah and the established Egyptian order. Other servants of God in the Bible serve in slightly less revered a capacity; yet it is a common thread, a commission from God, and a purpose, that forces them to honor the Father. The reason paul was called on that road to Damascus, and the reason Barnabus would later call him to the forefront of the Christian disciples, was that God had appointed him to be there. Even as Paul was having Stephen stoned, God was working in Paul's heart to cultivate him as a replacement for Stephen as the mouthpiece of the early Church. 9:26 And when [Paul] was come to Jerusalem, he assayed to join himself to the disciples: and they were all afraid of him, not believing that he was a disciple. 9:27 But Barnabas took him, and brought him to the apostles, and declared unto them how he had seen the Lord in the way, and that he had spoken to him, and how at Damascus he had preached boldly in the name of Jesus. 9:28 And he was with them going in and going out at Jerusalem, 9:29 preaching boldly in the name of the Lord: and he spake and disputed against the Grecian Jews; but they were seeking to kill him. 9:30 And when the brethren knew it, they brought him down to Caesarea, and sent him forth to Tarsus. 9:31 So the church throughout all Judaea and Galilee and Samaria had peace, being edified; and, walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, was multiplied. And Amen. One of my favorite verses of scripture, one that has guided and inspired me in recent years, comes from another servant of God who didn't even realize his calling. Shortly after Jesus stops the people from stoning a woman near the Mount of Olives as an adulterous, he gives a beautiful sermon on his intended mission as our great sacrificial lamb and on his own eternal being. Then, as he and the disciples leave from that place, they encounter a man who has been blind since birth. 9:2 And his disciples asked him, saying, Rabbi, who sinned, this man, or his parents, that he should be born blind? 9:3 Jesus answered, Neither did this man sin, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him. 9:4 We must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work. 9:5 When I am in the world, I am the light of the world. 9:6 When he had thus spoken, he spat on the ground, and made clay of the spittle, and anointed his eyes with the clay, 9:7 and said unto him, Go, wash in the pool of Siloam (which is by interpretation, Sent). He went away therefore, and washed, and came seeing. 9:8 The neighbors therefore, and they that saw him aforetime, that he was a beggar, said, Is not this he that sat and begged? 9:9 Others said, It is he: others said, No, but he is like him. He said, I am `he'. 9:10 They said therefore unto him, How then were thine eyes opened? 9:11 He answered, The man that is called Jesus made clay, and anointed mine eyes, and said unto me, Go to Siloam, and wash: so I went away and washed, and I received sight. The blind man had suffered from his affliction all of his life, not because of some sin which he or his family had comitted, but beacuse God had a special intention for him. He was to be used as a showcase for the healing power of God, and as further proof of the love and sanctity of Christ. In the same way, we cannot look at the pitfalls that come our way, big or small, as some sort of retribution or punishment from God. Instead, we must look at everything that happens to us as a chance for God to work through us in a magnificent way. The blind man had no idea that he was to be a mighty witness for God, but through his healing, many people could be saved. Somethimes, God puts a speed bump in our spiritual road, as does Satan. However, before we sit and lament on our sorrows and cry out to ask why God has forsaken us, we should consider that maybe, just maybe, he has given this unto us as an opportunity, a ministry, and a chance to glorify him. Pray with me: LORD, we come to you today in a spirit of learning, hoping to know and grow from your word. We thank you so much for the opportunities you give us to share your great news with others and, perhaps more importantly, to act as your instrunment of faith. As we go forward now, o Lord, please anoint each of us to be a servant to your will, to use the spiritual and worldly gifts that you have bestowed upon each of us to spread your word. We ask that you allow your will to be done in our lives, Lord, regardless of the cost to us, and surrender our fates up to you to lead, guide, and direct us as only you can do.
All of these things we ask in the name of your most high, humble, and willing servant, your Son, Jesus; Amen.
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