"So he will do to me whatever he has planned. He controls my destiny" (Job 23:14, NLT).
"My times [future] are in your hands..." (Psalm 31:15, NIV).
"I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my loving eye on you" (Psalm 32:8, NIV).
God revealed Himself to Samuel through His Word (cf. 1 Sam. 3:21), because visions were rare in those days. In fact, it could have been God's judgment on the land (cf. Amos 8:11) for their inclination to do what they saw fit (cf. Judges 17:6; 21:25). Samuel broke the mold and pleased God and became the last of the judges and founded the school of the prophets. Samuel became obedient to the heavenly call and offered no excuses as Moses did, was eager and willing to do God's will. Consider Paul's attitude: "I am obligated ...I am so eager ... For I am not ashamed..." (cf. Rom. 1:14-16, NIV). He was prepared and ready, and he felt indebted to God!
We must realize that none of us can depend upon our own strength to do God's will, for apart from Christ we can do nothing (cf. John 15:5). Don't confide in your own strength! All that Samuel did was only what the Lord had done through him (cf. Isa. 26:12). Paul had the same attitude in saying that he would not venture to boast of nothing but what the Lord had accomplished (cf. Rom. 15:18). God isn't interested in our achievements, but our obedience and trust--trust and obey, there's no other way, the hymn goes.
Samuel's call proves that God always has His witness and a way to speak to mankind, even in the darkest of times. Solomon asked God for wisdom, and Paul asked that a thorn in his flesh be removed, but in the end, they were blessed by God and enabled by grace to do his bidding. After all, we are God's masterpiece and workmanship (cf. Eph. 2:10), ordained to do good works in His name. In other words, bloom where you are planted and don't look for greener pastures!
We are all called by God according to His purpose and will (cf. Eph. 1:5) and God has a plan for each of us. Paul's only aim was to complete the task the Lord had given him (cf. Acts 20:24). "The LORD will fulfill his purpose for me..." (cf. Psalm 138:8, ESV). God has not made us automatons without a will of our own, but we are to cooperate in doing His will and bringing glory to Him through service manifested by faith. The key to service is to be equipped in your gift and to reach out. We will never find our gift without a servant's heart!
Therefore, a non-serving Christian is a contradiction in terms. We are to "spur one another toward love and good deeds" (cf. Heb. 10:24, NIV). Mother Teresa said that "true holiness consists in doing the will of God with a smile." The greatness of our service is not our natural abilities, but our surrender and commitment to Christ, as we will be judged by our faithfulness; however, don't get into the "let's compare" game and belittle one another's gift.
There are several calls for the Christian to answer: to salvation, for service, choosing a mate, finding a church home, choosing a pastor, a vocation, an avocation, a ministry, a mission, one's witness and testimony, a fellowship or inner circle, and good deeds to do. God's not looking for resumes but faithfulness and too many divorce faith from faithfulness. The only resume we need is that we know God and walk with Him in fellowship. There is a place for everyone in the church to contribute and to feel at home in the body, which is an organism of living beings, not an organization of impersonal ones. The righteous will live by faithfulness (cf. Hab. 2:4) and walk by faith and not by sight (cf. 2 Cor. 5:7). Soli Deo Gloria!
"My times [future] are in your hands..." (Psalm 31:15, NIV).
"I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my loving eye on you" (Psalm 32:8, NIV).
God revealed Himself to Samuel through His Word (cf. 1 Sam. 3:21), because visions were rare in those days. In fact, it could have been God's judgment on the land (cf. Amos 8:11) for their inclination to do what they saw fit (cf. Judges 17:6; 21:25). Samuel broke the mold and pleased God and became the last of the judges and founded the school of the prophets. Samuel became obedient to the heavenly call and offered no excuses as Moses did, was eager and willing to do God's will. Consider Paul's attitude: "I am obligated ...I am so eager ... For I am not ashamed..." (cf. Rom. 1:14-16, NIV). He was prepared and ready, and he felt indebted to God!
We must realize that none of us can depend upon our own strength to do God's will, for apart from Christ we can do nothing (cf. John 15:5). Don't confide in your own strength! All that Samuel did was only what the Lord had done through him (cf. Isa. 26:12). Paul had the same attitude in saying that he would not venture to boast of nothing but what the Lord had accomplished (cf. Rom. 15:18). God isn't interested in our achievements, but our obedience and trust--trust and obey, there's no other way, the hymn goes.
Samuel's call proves that God always has His witness and a way to speak to mankind, even in the darkest of times. Solomon asked God for wisdom, and Paul asked that a thorn in his flesh be removed, but in the end, they were blessed by God and enabled by grace to do his bidding. After all, we are God's masterpiece and workmanship (cf. Eph. 2:10), ordained to do good works in His name. In other words, bloom where you are planted and don't look for greener pastures!
We are all called by God according to His purpose and will (cf. Eph. 1:5) and God has a plan for each of us. Paul's only aim was to complete the task the Lord had given him (cf. Acts 20:24). "The LORD will fulfill his purpose for me..." (cf. Psalm 138:8, ESV). God has not made us automatons without a will of our own, but we are to cooperate in doing His will and bringing glory to Him through service manifested by faith. The key to service is to be equipped in your gift and to reach out. We will never find our gift without a servant's heart!
Therefore, a non-serving Christian is a contradiction in terms. We are to "spur one another toward love and good deeds" (cf. Heb. 10:24, NIV). Mother Teresa said that "true holiness consists in doing the will of God with a smile." The greatness of our service is not our natural abilities, but our surrender and commitment to Christ, as we will be judged by our faithfulness; however, don't get into the "let's compare" game and belittle one another's gift.
There are several calls for the Christian to answer: to salvation, for service, choosing a mate, finding a church home, choosing a pastor, a vocation, an avocation, a ministry, a mission, one's witness and testimony, a fellowship or inner circle, and good deeds to do. God's not looking for resumes but faithfulness and too many divorce faith from faithfulness. The only resume we need is that we know God and walk with Him in fellowship. There is a place for everyone in the church to contribute and to feel at home in the body, which is an organism of living beings, not an organization of impersonal ones. The righteous will live by faithfulness (cf. Hab. 2:4) and walk by faith and not by sight (cf. 2 Cor. 5:7). Soli Deo Gloria!
No comments:
Post a Comment