When God Calls You Out

Imagine yourself floating lazily down a calm and peaceful river. The summer sun is still hot. The promise of autumn is in the air. There's a little chill to the water now, perfectly complementing the hot sun. The cicadas are singing their song. The sky is perfectly blue, and just like you on the water, the fluffy white clouds are gently moving across the sky.


Then come the rapids. You have to be alert and aware. You can't just lie back and ignore them or you may end up in a dire situation.


So it is with life. We get comfortable. Life is good. As the song says, "everything's going my way." We do it in our walk with Christ. We get up and go to church. But are we serving the Lord in the way He intended? I heard a convicting quote on the radio this week. It went something like this: You have to be responsible to do the task God has given you.


So what has He given you? That's a question only you can answer after you spend some time allowing God to shine His light into (what you think are) the hidden recesses of your heart. He's been doing that for me, and daily the wattage gets brighter and brighter - blinding, in fact! I'm at the point now where I feel like I'm standing in a spotlight as God reveals His truth and shows me His way.


I still feel inadequate for some of this stuff. The truth is, there is always going to be someone better at something than I am or you are. That isn't the point. The point is, God has given me this task. So I will do it. I can procrastinate. I can use all the delay tactics I have learned throughout life. You know, like a kid at bed time - I need a glass of water...I'm hungry....I need to use the restroom....Read me a story...There's a monster under my bed...excuses. Simply and explicitly, EXCUSES!


So, friends, as I encourage you to accept the responsibility for the task God has given you, you can encourage me. Specifically, I ask you to pray. Pray for me to have the confidence which we learned earlier this week is not in myself, but in what God can do through me. I'll be praying the same for you.