Last Sunday, our church had a guest speaker.
He was from Kenya.
And he gave a mighty message.
He talked about dreams.
And he began by asking a rather startling question –
"Does serving God make you afraid?"
Interesting thought, isn’t it? What exactly are the things we’re afraid of? Failing, looking foolish, losing our safety or security, giving something up? Fear keeps us from following our dreams.
But fear also keeps us far from God.
It’s like we’re saying to Him – "I want to be close to you, Lord, but not too close – because You might disorganize my tidy life."
OUCH.
Pastor Muriithi went on to tell a story about Moses. It’s found in the beginning of the book of Exodus. Moses is having a discussion with God about what God is calling him to do. Or rather, Moses is protesting what God is calling him to do!
"But Moses protested again, 'What if they won’t believe me or listen to me? What if they say, 'The LORD never appeared to you?'
Then the LORD asked him, 'What is that in your hand?'
'A shepherd’s staff,' Moses replied.
'Throw it down on the ground,' the LORD told him. So Moses threw down the staff, and it turned into a snake!"
God asked Moses a powerful question.
What is that in your hand?
To Moses, his staff represented three very important things:
His identity
His income
His influence
And that is precisely what God was asking Moses to lay down – for HIS sake.
God was saying to Moses:
"Let ME define you."
"Seek ME first, serve only ME, and I will add all the other things you need."
"Let ME decide how high you rise."
Moses’ reluctance and fear were caused by worrying about the outcome. He was afraid of how people might respond to him. He was afraid to let go of his life – afraid to let God have His way.
But, God turned Moses’ staff, a simple shepherd’s stick, into a living thing.
God takes joy in using ordinary things for His extraordinary purposes!
What are the ordinary things in your life – your voice, a pen, a hammer, a broom, a musical instrument, your car, your job – the things that are like a simple shepherd’s staff? God uses all these things. It is wrong to assume that He can only use special skills. We must not hinder His use of the everyday contributions we make.
God doesn’t want what you don’t have – He wants what He’s already given you.
God has a purpose for each one of us – a purpose that He had in mind before we were ever born. In fact, God intended that purpose and then He created you to fulfill it!
And if you’ve got dreams, my friend – even big ones – trust me, God’s dreams for you are much bigger than the ones you have. He is calling you to an extraordinary life – an abundant life.
He has a Kingdom dream that is perfectly matched to who He created you to be.
He delights in saying to us, "What’s that in your hand? Great, I can use that!!"
So, what are you afraid of?
Are you ready to stop living a comfortable life?
Will you trust God for a God-sized dream?
After all, little did Moses imagine the power his simple staff would wield when it became the staff of God!
Ready, aim…aim…aim…aim…
Isn’t it time to fire??
BLOG = "Blessedly Leaning On God!"
Hi Sharon,
ReplyDeleteGood message, guess none of us really want to leave our comfort zone. But the time could be short and it is worth reflecting on. Have a blessed week, Nita.
I admit - I have been uncomfortable more than once. Gee you write things to make us think!
ReplyDeletesandie♥
This is a stand up and cheer post. I want to use the rod that He put in my hand.
ReplyDeleteJust so you know, I'm trying to decide what to do next with my SS class. I was just about ready to jump on Ezra when I read your Sunday post, and now I'm back to The Exodus.
If you didn't do such a great job of bringing the Word alive, I wouldn't be nearly as confused.
Here's my dumb fear: I hate the way Satan attacks me during my closest times with God. I know that he just does it to intimidate me, but I hate it nonetheless.
Hi Sharon -
ReplyDeleteThis is a piece that moves in anointed rhythm.
Thank you for this deeply meaningful message.
You expressed, "Let ME define you."
"Seek ME first, serve only ME, and I will add all the other things you need."
Oh! How that ministered to me, and gave me our Lord's blessed assurances.
Interesting that before I came here to your blog, I posted "SCRIPTURE JOY" tonight. It was planned for tomorrow but our Lord led me to post it tonight. And then He led me here where some of what you expressed ties in somewhat to the scripture content that I posted tonight. Only GOD!...
I bet that was a great guest speaker to hear, Sharon, and I loved his message he shared. I am willing to stop living the comfortable life, just don't know if I can get anyone else to follow along with me LOL (i.e. hubby). I would love to be more involved with ministries helping the homeless, abused, trouble teen and feel such a compassion and passion about them.....but then there's that job issue and not much "free" time. I keep praying to God to ask him to use me to further his kingdom, I just don't know where he wants me........
ReplyDeletebetty
Nita - Leaving one's comfort zone is such a very difficult thing. Self-doubt and fear often keep us paralyzed in one place. But God seeks to use what we have - what He has given to us. We just have to yield it to Him. I agree, Nita, I think time is short...
ReplyDeleteSandie - Hey, it's good to think! Because if I'm making you think, you just gotta know that I'm making me think, too!! Sometimes I believe that God intentionally makes us uncomfortable - so we will learn that we are only at peace smack dab in the middle of His will and His way.
Debbie - Such a happy dilemma - which of God's wonderful books to study and teach! (Thanks for the compliment, by the way). As far as that particular dumb fear - oh boy, do I get it! The enemy just loves to dash the hopes and steal the joy of God's children - especially when they feel closest to God. I suppose that's when we're most threatening. I can't stand him...
Sandra - Only God! Amen. I celebrate that God confirmed in your heart His assurances. It truly is only HIM that should define us, only HIM that should guide us - only HIM that can use the staff in our hand.
Betty - He was just the best! I really enjoyed his accent, too. But his message - oh, how powerful! I hear you on the rest of the family following along on that journey out of the comfort zone! I'm going to pray for direction in your life, and I just know that if God leads you to a ministry, He will free up that job time.
GOD BLESS!
I fear life and the government not God. He is the only source of goodness and truth. But this was a wonderful thought provoking post. Thank you. Anne
ReplyDeleteAnne - I couldn't agree with you more. God is truly the ONLY source of anything that's good and true. I suppose what I really fear is letting go - which is silly, really, because I know that God loves me, and He is good - all the time. There is no other path to joy and peace than to trust and obey Him. (Yes, the government scares me, too!)
ReplyDeleteGOD BLESS!