We can get instructions from God in many ways. It can be an audible voice from God, it can be revealed through His word, or even through someone else. The list of ways could go on forever. Once we get these instructions and receive the confirmation of it, what do we do? We have to act on it, right? Take action to make the Word of the Lord come true; as much as we can anyway.
But what happens when the consequences of our instructions seem like too much to bear? We begin to run from our responsibilities inside those instructions. I recently found an instance in the Bible where this happened. In the 1st book of the Kings, chapter 19, we find Elijah fresh off his victory at Mt. Carmel. He is running from Jezebel. She threatened to kill him for what he had done to the prophets of Baal. God gets up in his business and shows him the score.
God was not interested in his excuses of why he could not complete the task set before him. This has Enormous implications for us. How many times have you been given a job by God and started making excuses why it wouldn't work? I have done it. I was looking to the wrong source for the ability to complete the task. It is only by His grace, His mercy and His power that we are even breathing still.
Notice that this is after Elijah had seen amazing things that we could never even conceive of in our lifetime. He had seen God provide for a widow every day when she had nothing to begin with, rain down fire from heaven, and God had enacted some small natural disasters right in front of Elijah's face to teach him that He was in control. Even after all of these things happened before his very eyes, Elijah was still afraid of a wimpy king, his crazy rebellious, psychopath/sociopath wife and the army they commanded.
God has given us all a job to do in the Kingdom of Heaven. I don't mean Heaven one day. I am talking about bringing Heaven here today. Can we bring everyone to salvation? Well, the odds are slim that that will happen. We cannot feed every hungry person. However, if we ALL do our small part, like the wall builders in Nehemiah's day, we can get these problems dealt with. All of our tiny excuses are really fruitless. All they serve to do is distract us from the plan that He has for us. That's the perfect opportunity for the devil to come in and fuel the doubt/unbelief fire a little bit.
God does not need us to do anything. He has decided to make us part of His plan. Its almost as if it is a privilege to be made part of His plan. He is not impressed with our righteousness, nor is He impressed with our good deeds. He set this life up for us so that we would have the path to the best life. For instance, if you kill someone, will God forgive you? Yes, He will. Will you almost certainly go to jail? Yes, there are natural and spiritual consequences to every action.
I say that God is not interested in all this stuff because of what He said in this particular case. He basically said, "I got this! Now get yourself back where I told you to go, anoint this person, and find these people." God makes His point, then gets back to business. He doesn't even answer Elijah's worries. He knows that He is bigger than all that mess.
It is with that knowledge that I tell you, STAND UP!!! Stop whining about how small you are. Gideon was the smallest person from the weakest tribe. Still, God used him to save a nation. You will get knocked down from time to time. You have to pick yourself up, brush the dust off of you, and get back in the fight. You have the King of kings and the Lord of lords at your side. Did I mention that you're His child? He ain't gonna let anything happen to His own. Stop running from the fight and concentrate on helping those that our enemy has beaten down. Stop running, turn to Him, and you cannot lose!
I bless you today to know that you serve a God that believes in you more than you believe in Him, or yourself. You also have a part in His wonderful plan to bring the whole world back to Him. We are called to be a kingdom of priests that show the whole world what He looks like. He is "the Lord, the Lord. He is the compassionate, gracious, slow to anger and abounding in love and forgiveness God".
Grace and Peace be with you always!
"The Lord bless you and keep you;
25 The Lord make His face shine upon you, And be gracious to you;
26 The Lord lift up His countenance upon you, And give you peace.
May the Name of God be on you, wherever you go."
Numbers 6:24-26
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