Devotional 4-19-11

We say, “I could never do that; I don't know how, I would be too nervous, I would not do a good job, I am not gifted to do that.”

Paul says, “Consider your own call, brothers and sisters: not many of you were wise by human standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, things that are not, to reduce to nothing things that are, so that no one might boast in the presence of God. (1 Corinthians 1:26-29)

Several years ago, I would decline when asked to pray in public. I would pray, but I wanted time to prepare. I wanted to know what I was going to say before I actually said it – and there is nothing at all wrong with praying that way. In fact, when prayers are prepared ahead of time, they can be beautiful and poetic, and they reflect time spent with God.

God has moved me from the comfortable place where I was to somewhere else. What I do now – both at church and at work – requires that I pray in public with no notice and no preparation. I fought it at first, but I finally came to realize that if God has brought me here, he will equip me. So I stepped out of the boat, and just prayed. Now I find joy in it.

God did that, not me.

We say, “I could never do that; I don't know how, I would be too nervous, I would not do a good job, I am not gifted to do that.”

Isaiah says, “Listen to me, O coastlands, pay attention, you peoples from far away! The LORD called me before I was born, while I was in my mother's womb he named me.” (Isaiah 49:1)

He called you before you were born. He knows every inch of you and every dark corner of me. He knows your strengths, my weaknesses; he certainly knows the gifts he has given to us. He loves us, in spite of it all; because of it all. And, knowing all of that, he calls us.

A few months ago, I asked someone to be lector. The person said no (which is fine!). A few minutes later, the person came back to me, and told me yes. God was calling, and this person listened, and said yes, even though it was out of the normal comfort zone. When the time came to answer the call, she was perfectly equipped and did a wonderful job.

God does that, not us, and we can trust him to be faithful.

The Psalmist says, “For you, O Lord, are my hope, my trust, O LORD, from my youth. Upon you I have leaned from my birth; it was you who took me from my mother's womb. My praise is continually of you.” (Psalm 71:5-6)

We say, “Send me,” and we lean on the Lord with faith and trust.

Kim Matthews