Christian Living

---

Not long ago, there was an incident in my community that sent the gossip-mongers into overtime. Though said incident was nothing catastrophic, it did result in heartbreak and embarrassment for a particular family.

I have a friend who didn’t know the family, yet felt a huge burden for their plight—so huge, in fact, that relief only came when she walked up to their front door and rang the bell. After introducing herself, she told the family that she was praying for them, and assured them there was nothing too big for God to handle. Behind that door was a family that was lost, but seeking, and welcomed her into their home.

“Wow, I’m completely impressed,” I told her when I heard about her bold witness.

“Don’t be,” she said. “I was a very unwilling servant.”

At first, I didn’t understand what she meant by “unwilling”. Some people would rather take their chances on the ice with a Canadian hockey team than do what she did. Later, it occurred to me: reluctant was a better word to describe her feelings, and who could blame her? Approaching strangers in the midst of a delicate crisis and sharing Christ is, indeed, a step of faith, an exercise in Godly gutsy.

Why did she do it, reluctant servant that she was? She did it because she’s also an OBEDIENT servant, and the desire to please God over rode the desire to yield to the unwillingness of her own will.

I started thinking about other people who were reluctant to do what God asked of them. The first person who came to mind was Moses when he was called to lead the Israelites out of Egypt. (Exodus 3:10) His response?

“Oh Lord, please send someone else to do it.”

When it came to trying to convince God that he wasn’t the man for the job, Moses rattled off more excuses than my boys do for not cleaning their rooms. (Exodus 3:11—4:13)

Isaiah considered his lips too “unclean” to be God’s spokesperson, and Jeremiah claimed he was too young to be a prophet to the nations. (Isaiah 6:5, Jeremiah (1:6) What about Jonah when he was told to preach against the wickedness in Nineveh? Talk about a balking prophet, who ranks as the Bible’s top example of someone who tried to bail on a job order from God. When God said “go east”, Jonah went west (who can relate?) and was sailing for Tarshish until that great fish hooked him. (Jonah 1:3, 1:17)

I’ve heard it said that we all have a little “Jonah” in us, meaning that we aren’t always enthusiastic about the things God wants us to do. Have we ever resisted God’s call, and rallied every excuse in the book for not answering?

Whether we’re lead to launch a worldwide ministry or simply toss a few seeds into our neighbor’s backyard, obedience is an act of faith. In Hebrews 11:1-2, we read, “Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. This is what the ancients were commended for.” The chapter names the obedient “ancients”, among them Noah, who is one of the greatest inspirations for following God’s lead.

God told Noah to build a 450 foot long ark—in the middle of dry land, without even a puddle of water in sight. Imagining the backbreaking labor, combined with being perceived as downright barking mad, Noah could have tried making a run for it—but didn’t.

Instead, “Noah did everything just as God commanded him.” (Genesis 6:22)

This Noah-like, stick-to-the-plan, unwavering obedience is what God desires of us, as we’re told in Deuteronomy 5:32: “So be careful to do what the Lord your God has commanded you; do not turn aside to the right or to the left.”

Now, back to Moses. While he was expressing his reluctance, God broke in and said, “I AM WHO I AM” (Exodus 3: 14). That brings up another point—we are who we are, and that’s people who never have been and never will be equals to God Almighty. He doesn’t need us to make the sun shine, but wants us to know Him and be part of His big plan—and that’s why He allows us the privilege of working FOR Him.

No matter what our calling, it’s an honor to be used by God! Let’s drop the reservations and speak like the formerly-reluctant Isaiah did:

“Here am I. Send me!”



©Donna G. Morton, December 2006

---

PLEASE ENCOURAGE AUTHOR BELOW LEAVE COMMENT ON ARTICLE