I feel as if my blog hasn't been worth reading lately. I try to write about inspirational things which people will feel after reading that reading it was worth their time, but sometimes it's so
hard to put just what you want to say into words and hope that it comes across as relevant and true to the people who read it. I hope I've been able to do at least
some of that amidst all the other messes I throw at you poor people. :)
I have so many things I could talk about right now, it's hard to choose a topic and stick with it.
One thing that I've been thinking about lately - and my family has been discussing in our morning Bible studies - is the story of Rahab and the Israelite spies.
You know the part where Rahab lies to the soldiers of Jericho and tells them that the spies left the city before the gates were closed?
Well, my little sister asked how God could have used that lie to save the spies when lying is a sin.
That brought up the point of how we sometimes sin and God still uses that sin to implement His plan for our lives. Only, if we hadn't sinned, the implementation of how He
could have worked in our lives to the same end would have been so much greater!
To face the truth: sometimes we just don't trust God enough to let Him work powerfully in our lives.
If Rahab hadn't lied to those soldiers, God could still have saved those spies - and the story would probably have been much different, most likely with more action and a few miracles.
I'm not saying that the story of Rahab and the spies is boring (and anyway, Rahab didn't believe in God, so lying probably presented itself to her as the most natural way out of a possibly lethal situation), but just think of how much more spectacular it could have been if Rahab hadn't sinned.
Looking back over my life, I can see many situations that probably could have turned out differently if I hadn't let fear overcome me or I hadn't gone for the easy way out and ignored God's voice prompting me to do something I knew I should.
The point is, though, that God can still use our stumblings for His own ends. If God has an ultimate plan for someone, even our failing to do what we know we should can be re-routed and used for His glory.
That's what's so amazing about His grace. There are second chances, third chances, fourth chances, ect.
God's ultimate plan will
always be served, no matter what rabbit trails we sinners take off on.
For example...
- What would have happened if Barak hadn't gotten weak knees and begged Deborah to come along with Him in battle? (We wouldn't have the awesome story of Jael, but who knows what else might have occured?)
- What would have happened if Jehoash had struck the ground with those arrows more than three times? (He would have completely destroyed Aram. And think of how the course of history might have changed with the removal of those pesky Aram-eans!)
- What would have happened if David hadn't sinned with Bathsheba and killed Uriah off in a handy battle? Where would Solomon have come from?
-What would have happened Rehoboam had listened to the wiser elders instead of his group of friends? (First off, Judah and Israel probably wouldn't have split up...)
And, on the other hand...
What would have happened if Esther had gotten a panic attack and told God "I can't go to the king"?
What would have happened if Joseph had hardened his heart and refused to accept his situation as God-given?
What would have happened if David had told Samuel "Don't pour your oil on me;
I don't want to be king."?
Or if he had told Goliath "You're right. I
am a dog. Get me off this field in one piece!"?
And Ruth. What if she had told Naomi "Are you joking? I'm not sleeping by anyone's dirty feet!"?
And finally, what would have happened if Mary had told Gabriel "No way. I'm a virgin and I'm going to remain so until I'm married."?
(There are hundreds more, but in the words of whoever wrote Hebrews: "
And what more shall I say? I do not have time to tell about about Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jepthah, David, Samuel and the prophets...")
Anyway, the point is:
What would have happened if all these people of great faith had chickened out when the chips were down and refused to trust God?
No doubt God would have figured out another way to get things done, but then we would most likely not have those great stories of faith that teach us so much about courage and trust.
But we put those people on a pedestal and say "oh, how brave they were!" - and they
were. But what we often forget is that the same God who helped them is there to help us. And He hasn't lost strength over the years. He is still the same God who helped Esther and Joseph and David and Mary and everyone else who did anything worth recording in the Bible.
He still is God.
And despite our bumblings and stumblings and upsets and mistakes, He still works His perfect will through us. Transforming our lives from ashes and rubble into the stuff of legends.
So when you read about the heroes of the faith and feel discouraged (as I often do) because you never,
ever could be as courageous as they were, remember that they too, were simple, ordinary people, whom God chose to use in a complex, un-ordinary way. And also remember that God longs to use us all in this way if we don't shrink back and say "God, you're asking too much! This is too hard for someone small like me! I don't have that great of faith or enough courage to do this!"
Do you think any of those heroes - alone - did either?
I would say no. Most definitely not.
In the words of Paul: "For it is
God who works in you to will and to act according to
His good purpose." (Philippians 2:13; emphasis added)
And just before that: "Continue to work our your salvation with
fear and
trembling..." (Philippians 2:12b; emphasis added)
God
knows we're weak - and the amazing thing is, He doesn't want us to be strong by ourselves. "I can do everything through
Him who gives me strength." (Philippians 4:13; emphasis added)
On our own, we can only make a mess. With our pride, our desire to show off, and our wrong motives, we make mud pies out of God's perfect plan.
And it is only when we are afraid to do something and know that we cannot - under any circumstances - do it by ourselves, that we truly find His strength. Only then we can move mountains and tell them to go throw themselves into the sea.
We have to remove ourselves from the equation and say, "Ok, God. Use me." And then trust that He will.
After all, if He did it for every other hero in the Bible, why on earth would He not do it for you?
Don't be afraid of messing up God's plan. If you do make a mistake, He can work around it. But don't use that as an excuse to get out of things. Challenge yourself to trust God to work through you and see what miracles He can do!
May the God of peace be with you.
'Till next time,
