calling

Beautiful Interruptions

~ ForCommonGround ~ 2 Comments

A week ago, I was in the process of setting up an outreach at the school I teach at. My Christian club was going to be sharing Bible verses with their peers at lunchtime and we were getting prepped to go out. In walked two students who interrupted things. In a brief moment, instead of getting irritated, I felt as if God was bringing people to us. I left my club members to finish the preparations while I took a chance and invited the two students to read some verses of scripture that I had laid out on one of the desks. It started a fantastic conversation.

After they left, my group went out to begin sharing verses around the school. In walked two more students. That prevented me from going out with my club members. Quickly, however, the conversation with these two new students turned into a conversation about God’s goodness and faithfulness and I was able to speak into their lives in what seemed like a critical moment.

Two days ago, that same Christian group was talking about living with a legacy in mind, and in walked a student who thought it would be funny to interrupt things. He wasn’t being mean-spirited but was trying to be funny. I wanted to be upset, but having just experienced what I had the week before, I paused and listened for what God wanted me to do to handle the situation. The kid was done in a few minutes. I felt the Lord wanted me to invite the kid and his two friends to stay for the rest of the talk. And you know what? The kid said yes. And the three of them remained and had a chance to hear about Jesus. That probably wasn’t in their plans for the day, but it was in God’s plans.

Often times God interrupts our lives with amazing opportunities. They sometimes look like inconveniences. Let’s face it, most of the time they are inconvenient. But if we try to look at them from a heavenly perspective, we may just see something beautiful.

In 2 Timothy 4:2, Paul says to be ready in season and out of season to share the word. In 1 Peter 3:15, Peter says to always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. In Ephesians 5, we are called to live wisely and make the most of the time we have. Jesus, Himself, lived with constant interruptions. But He seized those moments and people were left changed because of it. He’s calling His followers to do the same.

Peace in Christ brothers and sisters.

God overrides your insecurities

~ ForCommonGround ~ 2 Comments

In the book of Exodus, God chooses to reveal Himself to an exile shepherd named Moses. In glorious splendor, God speaks to him as an unconsuming flame. The task God would call him to seemed insurmountable. For everyone reading the story, it would seem near impossible. Go to the most powerful ruler in the world and tell him to release his largest labor force. No one can blame Moses for how he responds. Several times he makes excuse after excuse as to why he’s not capable of the calling. And you know what? So do we.

Christ commissioned us to take the gospel to the ends of the earth. Many of us won’t even talk to our neighbors or coworkers about Jesus. Many of us won’t take the unknown path that God may be leading us in because we don’t feel like we’re able to. We make excuses all day long. We aren’t gifted enough. We don’t have the resources. Now isn’t the time. We aren’t worthy. Truth is, we’ve all said or thought things like these one time or another.

God didn’t let Moses off the hook, and He won’t let us off either. We’ve all been made for a purpose, and He’ll continue to guide us into that until we take our last breath. Some will make excuses the rest of their lives and never fulfill the meaning they were born. Some will enter into it late in life. Others will be prodigal sons and come home after living a life apart from God. Then there’s those who hear the call and walk straight into it. That’s who I want to be, but I’m afraid I haven’t for a good portion of my life.

No matter who you are, God can overcome your insecurities. No excuse we make is a valid one when it comes to following Jesus. If we don’t have the resources, God will provide them. If we aren’t gifted enough, God’s power is made perfect in our weakness. If we aren’t worthy (which none of us are), God’s grace abounds all the more.

Moses was used to do incredible things. But he sure tried to get out of it. I’ll bet he’s glad God didn’t let him off the hook so easy. I’m glad he keeps giving me opportunities to. How about you? When the burning bush calls to you, will you respond?