Why Not Me?
August 19th, 2010 § 3 Comments
Recently, a friend of mine made the decision to follow a different path in his journey. The neat thing about his decision is that both he and his wife are perfectly in sync and focused on God’s calling to make this change. I admire them both for their obedience to God’s leading, but I have to admit, my second reaction to the news was to ask God, “why not me?“. Why couldn’t God give me a special calling that I could be excited about? It was so easy to forget that just over two years ago God gave me a special calling to start this season of my life. He did not include me with twenty of my closest friends; he took me!
At the very end of the book of John, Peter is walking with Jesus when he notices John (described in John 21:20 as “The Disciple whom Jesus loved…”) walking behind them. Peter asks Jesus in verse 21, “Lord, what about him?”, referring to John’s future. In verse 22 Jesus answered, “If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? You must follow me.” When the disciples heard this they started a rumor that John would not die until Jesus returned, but in reality, Jesus was simply saying, “don’t worry about John, worry about Peter…“
This is essentially what God reminded me of this past week. Maybe not in these exact words, but God clearly said, “the plans I have for you are for you and no one else.” I know I say this a lot, but God’s plan is perfect! He has given each of us a special calling that we must make a conscious effort to follow. Each time I wish I had someone else’s calling, I short-change God’s perfect plan for my life.
So what was my first reaction? It was an immediate sense of loss. While this friend of mine and I don’t really hang out that much, I can truly say that at times he feels like a brother. I will miss him more than he will ever know, but God has a perfect plan for his life and to not listen to God’s calling would mean to fall short of God’s potential in his life. God’s Speed, little brother…
The Potter’s Hands
August 15th, 2010 § Leave a Comment
When a potter works with clay, it takes time to shape it into it’s finished product. Sometimes as the clay begins to form, it develops defects or blemishes. At this point the potter has options; he can leave the defects, fix them, or start over. The potter rarely decides to throw the clay away because it is still has value and the potential to be shaped into a meaningful purpose. Like the potter, God works to shape us and mold us. This doesn’t mean that we become meaningless puppets, but it does mean that we submit to the will and direction of God in our lives.
There are several places in the Bible where the analogy of a potter and clay are used to represent our relationship with God. In Jeremiah 18:6 it says, “O house of Israel, can I not do with you as this potter does?” declares the LORD. “Like clay in the hand of the potter, so are you in my hand, O house of Israel.” In this passage, God is comparing Israel to clay in the hands of a potter. It also shows God’s desire and ability to mold us into His purpose. As we submit to His will and become receptive to His impact on our lives, He begins to shape us into the valuable vessel we were meant to become. No matter what happens, as long as we remain in the Potter’s hands, He will never discard us from a relationship with Him and will continue to shape us and reshape us for His purpose.
Before I Was Ever Formed
August 8th, 2010 § Leave a Comment
“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.” – Jeremiah 1:5
This passage was written to describe Jeremiah’s relationship with God and His purpose for Jeremiah’s life. The amazing part of this verse is that it shows just how soon God knows the purposes for each of our lives. Before I was ever formed, God had a purpose for my life that was explicit and planned. It helps me to know that my life is directed through the plan that God has for me. The purpose for my life is very clear to God and it should be very clear to me as well, but I need to be actively pursuing a relationship with God that ensures I am working in the plan he has for me. One of my biggest struggles is that I tend to work hard at finding a plan for my future and what I really need to do is work on listening to where God is leading me. He knows where I need to be and where my gifts will be most effective. If I listen to God’s leading in my life and listen to His voice His perfect plan for my life will be revealed and I will be everything He planned for me.
