This past weekend, I was challenged. No, I don’t mean that I stepped out and took some huge leap of faith for the Lord. What I did, however was find myself being stretched in the area of mechanics. You see, for some time, my car has been sitting beside my house, because the brakes weren’t working. Finally, after months of sitting, I finally had it towed to one I know can fix just about anything on a car- my father-in-law. He is kind of an “amateur specialist” when it comes to cars. He really knows his way around them.
But, one thing that has always happened whenever I have taken a car to him for repair is that I didn’t just drop off the keys like at a shop, but I rolled up my sleeves and got busy, working alongside him. This weekend was no different. I went out to Murray’s Auto Parts, and bought the necessary items, and took them to his house, and he helped me to get the brakes working again.
I spoke in my last post of 2005 about stepping out in faith, with the attitude of Jonathan, that says, “Perhaps the Lord will work for us”. I want to speak a little more to that today, without beating it into the ground. You see, just as I did what was very uncomfortable for me this weekend, I believe that God wants us to walk past the borders of our comfort zones. It gets very easy to just sit on our hides, waiting for everything to be “just right”. If that had been my attitude, there would be quite a few things that I would never have had the blessing of doing. I wouldn’t be playing the guitar at my church, because I would have sat on the pew, rather than take a step, and fill a need that was there. If I hadn’t taken that first step toward the ministry that God called me to more than six years ago, I don’t think I’d be where I’m at today.
I want to live a life in pursuit of the Lord Jesus. Yes, I know that He is in me, that He has saved me. But I want more of Him. One of my favorite scriptures of late is Philippians 3:12:
“Not that I have already attained, either were made perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which I am also apprehended of Christ Jesus”.
Out of this hunger and thirst to know Him comes this desire to do more for Him. Daniel 11:32b says, “but the people that do know their God shall be strong, and do exploits”. Literally, that means as we come to know God, it will cause us to take action.
As we begin this new year, I want to make a splash for my Savior. I am not satisfied with the status quo, simply holding the fort till Jesus comes. I want to be like Joshua, and take the land before me, for God’s glory! I pray that you also desire to do something great for God. Be challenged alongside me today, friend. May God use you and your faith to make waves for Him! God bless.
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3 comments:
Sounds like you're blessed to have such a talented father-in-law. My FIL can do just about anything too. I really feel inadequate around him because I can't drive a nail without bending it and my knowledge of cars does not go beyond putting gas in the tank and the occasional oil change or air filter change-LOL
You are destined for big things Brother- the fact that you are having these feelings is preparation for such IMHO.
Hey, Henry, I need some work done in my house. Interested? LOL. I know the feeling. I almost feel like half a man around him, because of handy aspect. Hey, I can do some rough, and I mean rough, carpentry.
But the challenge in the natural is indicative of the challenge in the spiritual! God bless.
I am useless when it comes to mechanical things, though I can change tail-lights. When I was in high school I worked for AAmco Transmissions for three years, hated every moment of it, but it was money! Carpentry isn't my thing either, we've done some building projects in churches we've pastored...but you really don't want me to paint.
My greatest asset I think is eating my way through a town, I can find the best places and the worst.
I want to walk out the scripture you spoke in Daniel, to operate in the Spirit of God. To be a Joshua, one who does more than talk about it, I want to fulfill the call of God on my life...Thanks Jeff, I'm being stirred!
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