" He [Jesus]…said to them, 'Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem…'" —Luke 18:31
“Jerusalem, in the life of our Lord, represents the place where He reached the culmination of His Father’s will. Jesus said, “I do not seek My own will but the will of the Father who sent Me” (John 5:30). Seeking to do “the will of the Father” was the one dominating concern throughout our Lord’s life. And whatever He encountered along the way, whether joy or sorrow, success or failure, He was never deterred from that purpose. We are not taken into a conscious agreement with God’s purpose— we are taken into God’s purpose with no awareness of it at all. We have no idea what God’s goal may be; as we continue, His purpose becomes even more and more vague. God’s aim appears to have missed the mark, because we are too nearsighted to see the target at which He is aiming. At the beginning of the Christian life, we have our own ideas as to what God’s purpose is. We say, “God means for me to go over there,” and, “God has called me to do this special work. The work we do is of no account when compared with the compelling purpose of God. It is simply the scaffolding surrounding His work and His plan.” - Oswald Chambers, My Utmost for His Highest
Where is God leading you or where has He led you? Wherever it might be, near or far, we can except that He would lead us to do some great or small thing to accomplish His purpose. The question is, "Can we accept that He would lead us to some mundane place?" One of my challenges after returning from Haiti was being content in the place where God has led us afterward. Oh, we were still involved in ministry in Haiti. I continued to write these devotions. I was teaching Sunday School. But being in Mississippi or Haiti was such a grand and glorious calling. It was as if this square peg (me) was finally put into a square hole. Perfect fit. And then the Lord brought us back into what I consider to be a spiritual valley. What I realize now is that "valley" was no less important to God than me serving on the mountains had been. My problem is that I was interpreting our spiritual circumstances with a natural understanding. It was actually self-serving. It was what I wanted where I imagined God could best use me and not what God has purposed for me that I had focused on.
Assuming that you are not living in disobedience, meaning that God has said, “Go” and you have said “No”, God will use you for His glory right where you are. I was not at peace with "merely" living in Alabama. There are hardships to be faced, but here in the U.S. they had taken a different form. God does not want me to be content with my calling but to be a light in the darkness. God wants all of us to shine right where we are. Maybe you find that you have become content, self absorbed perhaps … perhaps you are starting to blend in (Romans 12:2) … your light is not quite so bright … you have begun to lose your saltiness. (Matthew 5:13) Like me, perhaps you need to be reminded that no matter where God has you, this world is not your home. To quote Pastor Rick Warren, "It's not about you!" Your purpose and mission is not dependent upon geography or economics but on the sovereignty of God. Fulfilling your purpose begins with a proper understanding of your new life, God’s authority in your life, and what it means to live by faith and not by sight. (2 Corinthians 5:7)
I recall someone asking me if I liked being in Mississippi in the midst of all of the devastation. I thought for moment and answered, "There is nothing better than being in the center of God's will, geography has nothing to do with it. And so, I don't like being in Mississippi, I love being in Mississippi." We have been in Texas for nearly five years now doing what God has shaped us to do where He has sent us to do it. And we love being in Texas.
Think about it – Pray about it – Believe it – Walk in it. Let your light shine and give God the glory.
By Faith Alone By His Grace Alone And For His Glory Alone
No comments:
Post a Comment