During one of the college days, a friend approached me to lead the praise and worship. He saw me leading one in a small prayer meet. As I do not sing very well to lead a song is out of question. What made me more nervous was, when it was first announced to the others that I was going to lead, they were surprised and some even giggled. It took sometime to convince them. I did not want to do it, but I took it as an opportunity. Anyway, on the day, I had to keep the microphone away as far as possible when there was a part I had to sing, but I managed it with more words than singing. I counted it as God’s grace during the whole time.
It is amazing to see how God sometimes uses the unskilled for His work. My pastor here is more comfortable with playing musical instruments than preaching. But it was because of God that he became a pastor. When God called Moses to lead the Israelites out of Egypt, we see that Moses was not fluent in speech. ‘Moses said to the LORD, “O Lord, I have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor since you have spoken to your servant. I am slow of speech and tongue” (Exodus 4:10). Israelites did not see Moses as a capable leader but God saw the right man when He chose Moses. Gideon was one of the greatest warriors. God called him to save Israel from Midianites. But Gideon was no superman before he was called. He never thought he would be a warrior. ‘“But Lord”, Gideon asked, “how can I save Israel? My clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my family” (Judges 6:15).
Why God would choose the weak? As Bible also says, “But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong” (1 Corinthians 1:27)
This calls for the purpose of the call. Now, this is not man’s business but purely God’s. Man can only be an instrument for God to use. So God chooses someone who always seeks Him, so that no one will do what he wants or feels right. King David was after God’s own heart. Esther sought God. Daniel and his friends feared God. They were ordinary but became extraordinary because they sought God. God separates for His work the humble in heart who seek God’s voice. Thus, the purpose of the call begins with seeking God. And in all these, no one can boast that they have done on their own strength. “He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things... so that no one may boast before him.” (1 Corinthians 1:28-29).
God makes his plans known to us.
“And he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ,” (Ephesians 1:9). Without God we cannot know what we have to do. This is so that no one will boast.
What about the skilled? The learned? It is the richness of God that He has the best for His Kingdom. Samson was the strongest. Solomon was the wisest. However, each strength comes with the need to seek God.
We may be unskilled or inexperienced at the calling or to the work that God wanted to work through us. (“for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose”-Philippians 2:13). The task ahead may be big and you do not find yourself fit to the call. God sees the imperfectness but let us be reminded that God sees the unseen. For when God called us for His work He promised to be with us. To Moses he said, “...I will help you speak and will teach you what to say” (Exodus 4:12). And to Gideon, “I will be with you, and you will strike down all the Midianites together” (Judges 6:16). The calling may be for a duration or permanent. People may ridicule. They may laugh at it. We may never muster the art of preaching or become a good orator. But it is God’s grace that we will be what we will be. “But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them- yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me” (1 Corinthians 15:10). For, “I can do everything through him who gives me strength” (Philippians 4:13). There is no greater joy than doing the will of the Father.
If you are suffering for Christ: “...stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.” (1 Corinthians 15:58).
“That is why I am suffering as I am. Yet I am not ashamed, because I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him for that day.” (2 Timothy 1:12).
The road may be long and the race may be tough but if we seek God we will always be fruitful. “Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.” (John 15:4). And, “being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 1:6).
If God pours His plans for us to work on, our mind just would not contain it. Our mind would explode with so many plans, if we seek Him.
“We are all pencils in the hand of God...I am a little pencil in the hand of a writing God who is sending a love letter to the world.” Mother Teresa
It is amazing to see how God sometimes uses the unskilled for His work. My pastor here is more comfortable with playing musical instruments than preaching. But it was because of God that he became a pastor. When God called Moses to lead the Israelites out of Egypt, we see that Moses was not fluent in speech. ‘Moses said to the LORD, “O Lord, I have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor since you have spoken to your servant. I am slow of speech and tongue” (Exodus 4:10). Israelites did not see Moses as a capable leader but God saw the right man when He chose Moses. Gideon was one of the greatest warriors. God called him to save Israel from Midianites. But Gideon was no superman before he was called. He never thought he would be a warrior. ‘“But Lord”, Gideon asked, “how can I save Israel? My clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my family” (Judges 6:15).
Why God would choose the weak? As Bible also says, “But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong” (1 Corinthians 1:27)
This calls for the purpose of the call. Now, this is not man’s business but purely God’s. Man can only be an instrument for God to use. So God chooses someone who always seeks Him, so that no one will do what he wants or feels right. King David was after God’s own heart. Esther sought God. Daniel and his friends feared God. They were ordinary but became extraordinary because they sought God. God separates for His work the humble in heart who seek God’s voice. Thus, the purpose of the call begins with seeking God. And in all these, no one can boast that they have done on their own strength. “He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things... so that no one may boast before him.” (1 Corinthians 1:28-29).
God makes his plans known to us.
“And he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ,” (Ephesians 1:9). Without God we cannot know what we have to do. This is so that no one will boast.
What about the skilled? The learned? It is the richness of God that He has the best for His Kingdom. Samson was the strongest. Solomon was the wisest. However, each strength comes with the need to seek God.
We may be unskilled or inexperienced at the calling or to the work that God wanted to work through us. (“for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose”-Philippians 2:13). The task ahead may be big and you do not find yourself fit to the call. God sees the imperfectness but let us be reminded that God sees the unseen. For when God called us for His work He promised to be with us. To Moses he said, “...I will help you speak and will teach you what to say” (Exodus 4:12). And to Gideon, “I will be with you, and you will strike down all the Midianites together” (Judges 6:16). The calling may be for a duration or permanent. People may ridicule. They may laugh at it. We may never muster the art of preaching or become a good orator. But it is God’s grace that we will be what we will be. “But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them- yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me” (1 Corinthians 15:10). For, “I can do everything through him who gives me strength” (Philippians 4:13). There is no greater joy than doing the will of the Father.
If you are suffering for Christ: “...stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.” (1 Corinthians 15:58).
“That is why I am suffering as I am. Yet I am not ashamed, because I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him for that day.” (2 Timothy 1:12).
The road may be long and the race may be tough but if we seek God we will always be fruitful. “Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.” (John 15:4). And, “being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 1:6).
If God pours His plans for us to work on, our mind just would not contain it. Our mind would explode with so many plans, if we seek Him.
“We are all pencils in the hand of God...I am a little pencil in the hand of a writing God who is sending a love letter to the world.” Mother Teresa
