getting about the work

I mentioned in my last entry that it is pretty amazing how God can use different people and circumstances to teach us the same lesson. It may not always be because we are hard headed, however. Sometimes He just needs to make sure we hear the message, so He repeats it more than once.

Well, as of today at church, I am 3 for 3 in as many days. I had the priviledge on Friday to go with some friends to hear the pastor of the Brooklyn Tabernacle speak here in Phoenix. It was a very encouraging message about getting on with doing the WORK God has called us each to do. NOT work for our salvation, that is a gift. Nor is it about performing to earn His love or attention, we have that too. But God has called each of us to do work for Him. He has chosen to use us, with all of our imperfections, faults, and problems to reach the people in our neighborhoods and through out the world that do not know Him.

The speaker's point was...what are we waiting for. He pointed out, and I completely agree, most people, most Christians in our country, come to church to "worship", but primarily want to be entertained. They want the warm and fuzzies. They come on Sunday for their feel good infusion, and that is pretty much it. I am NOT saying that everyone is like this, but if we are honest, most of us are...and I include myself in this comment. I am sure I have struck some nerves, and I am sorry, but what the speaker was saying rang true to me. I had actually thought about it before, and it was a revelation that did not feel very good at all.

The alter call on Friday night was more of an invitation to recommit, and pursue and DO the work that God has called us to do. I went forward to recommit to doing just that.

Well, that was just round #1.

Last night before going to sleep, I was reading an article in one of my books from the seminary class I withdrew from this summer. The article was by Henry Blackaby from the book/bible study "Experiencing God". I did the study several years ago...but it never hurts to refresh your memory. It was discussing how God utilizes His creation, especially those made in His image i.e. you and me, to do the work of spreading the good news His Son accomplished on the cross... to share the gospel. The article talked about not doing it on your own strength, not trying to start something on your own, but looking around and plugging in to where God is working. He doesn't want us to do it on our own, He has sent us the Holy Spirit to give us strength and direction to do His work, we just need to be willing and obedient....and get about the work we are called to do.

I told you I was 3 for 3...Well today's sermon at church was on Acts 6. This is the chapter of Acts when the 7 are chosen from among the people to help care for the believers so that the apostles could continue in what they were called to do...teaching, preaching, and praying. Stephen was one of the 7 chosen, and he is described as faithful and full of the Holy Spirit. He did his assigned Work, so well in fact, he was stoned to death.

Something I never noticed before but was pointed out in the message: he was accused of speaking against Moses and the law. But in God's irony, He made Stephen's face/body to shine as bright as an angel...just as Moses face shown when he came down from Mount Sinai. Stephen was not speaking against God or Moses. He was doing the work God called him to do, and I think God showed He was pleased with Him.

So what did I learn from all of this... Well, at first I got irritated because I want to get on with my calling, but now I have this huge road block in my way... Then I thought about it some more, and I have allowed this newest development with my health to practically paralyze me. I have put everything on hold because I don't know what is going to happen. I am confident that God is going to use this as preparation for me, but I can't just sit and wait around either.

The more I thought and prayed about it, God began to show me that my work right now is to trust Him, to rest in Him, and to allow my faith to grow. My job right now is to get to know Him better, and ironically I have been shutting Him out. I have avoided thinking about some things because most of the time, all this seems like a dream. But I know it isn't. He wants my attention right now...my job is to focus on Him and Him alone.

The funny thing I have found in the past, and that a friend of mine feels will happen again, is that in focusing on Him, I will be able to minister to others, and not even be aware I am doing so. That is the funny thing about this life He asks us to lead, we rest in Him by depending solely on Him, and we actually end up doing His work with out even being really conscious of it. As He fills us with His Spirit, it ends up overflowing out of us and into the lives of others... We may not even be aware of it.

So, get about the work. If you know your calling, and God has prepared you, continue to trust in Him and get on with it in faith. If you are still in the stage of preparation, then I pray God just continues to work on you and with you. If you still don't know what your job entails, ask Him, He will let you know. For now, I will get on with my job of getting to know HIM.

In Him.

anne