Have you noticed that God chooses some interesting people to carry out His purposes? Usually the person is the last one you would ever choose or even consider for a specific task. Yet, God seems to know what He is doing because those He chooses ALWAYS turn out to be the perfect ones for the job! Acts 9:15 "But the Lord said to Ananias, 'Go! This man is my chosen instrument to carry my name before the Gentiles and their kings and before the people of Israel.' "
The Lord said "Go!" I'm sure this wasn't on Ananias's agenda, in his plans, or even in his thoughts. But God chose Ananias as surely as He chose Saul. God does the choosing always. In John 15:16, Jesus tells His disciples that each of them where chosen, hand picked by the Messiah Himself. "You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit..." Each of His disciples were different and special with unique gifts. God had a special plan to use each of the disciples according to the gifts He had given. And without a doubt He loved them dearly! So much so that He would die for them.
Any one looking from the outside would have never believed that this group of 11 guys could do anything! They sure seemed unfit to spread the "Good News." Have you ever had those thoughts? I confess I have....I've even had those thoughts about myself! Who me, Lord? Are You really speaking to me? But Lord I can't! 1 Corinthians 1:26-28 "Brothers, think of what you were when you called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many of you were of noble birth. BUT God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things that are not - to nullify the things that are."
God chose Moses to confront Pharaoh and to lead 3 million Jews to freedom. In Exodus 3:11 Moses asks God "Who am I." He didn't believe he was the right man for the job. He wasn't brave and he had a speech impediment.
God chose Gideon to save Israel out of the hands of the Midianites. Gideon says to God in Judges 6:15, "...how can I save Israel? ... I'm the least in my family."
God chose Isaiah to be a prophet to the Israelites. In Isaiah 6:5 He says to God "Woe to me! I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips..." He didn't think he was good enough.
God chose Jeremiah to be a prophet as well but he counts himself out. In Jeremiah 1:6 he says to God, "I do not know how to speak; I'm only a child." He thinks he is too young to be used by God. We come up with all kinds of excuses for ourselves and many reasons why so and so can't do it either. In reality we doubt that God knows what He is doing! But He "chose us in him before the creation of the world," He planned for us, He created us and He also equips us for the calling He places on our lives. It's not all that easy to take the step of faith and heed the call.
But what if we just trust God, the Almighty, all powerful, all knowing God and take that step of faith. God always equips those who He calls. It all comes down to whether or not we do trust Him.
Psalm 37:5 "Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him and he will do this."
Now that is a promise we can believe in. It's all about Him, not us.
MaryAnn
MaryAnn and John Kiernan have been married for 36 years, have 2 grown/married sons and are the proud grandparents of three grandsons and one granddaughter! She serves at America's Keswick as a Biblical Counselor and also as Intake Coordinator for the Colony of Mercy. Her life verse is Romans 8:28.
DIGGING DEEPER
3 I will not set before my eyes
anything that is worthless.
I hate the work of those who fall away;
it shall not cling to me.
The Lord said "Go!" I'm sure this wasn't on Ananias's agenda, in his plans, or even in his thoughts. But God chose Ananias as surely as He chose Saul. God does the choosing always. In John 15:16, Jesus tells His disciples that each of them where chosen, hand picked by the Messiah Himself. "You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit..." Each of His disciples were different and special with unique gifts. God had a special plan to use each of the disciples according to the gifts He had given. And without a doubt He loved them dearly! So much so that He would die for them.
Any one looking from the outside would have never believed that this group of 11 guys could do anything! They sure seemed unfit to spread the "Good News." Have you ever had those thoughts? I confess I have....I've even had those thoughts about myself! Who me, Lord? Are You really speaking to me? But Lord I can't! 1 Corinthians 1:26-28 "Brothers, think of what you were when you called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many of you were of noble birth. BUT God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things that are not - to nullify the things that are."
God chose Moses to confront Pharaoh and to lead 3 million Jews to freedom. In Exodus 3:11 Moses asks God "Who am I." He didn't believe he was the right man for the job. He wasn't brave and he had a speech impediment.
God chose Gideon to save Israel out of the hands of the Midianites. Gideon says to God in Judges 6:15, "...how can I save Israel? ... I'm the least in my family."
God chose Isaiah to be a prophet to the Israelites. In Isaiah 6:5 He says to God "Woe to me! I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips..." He didn't think he was good enough.
God chose Jeremiah to be a prophet as well but he counts himself out. In Jeremiah 1:6 he says to God, "I do not know how to speak; I'm only a child." He thinks he is too young to be used by God. We come up with all kinds of excuses for ourselves and many reasons why so and so can't do it either. In reality we doubt that God knows what He is doing! But He "chose us in him before the creation of the world," He planned for us, He created us and He also equips us for the calling He places on our lives. It's not all that easy to take the step of faith and heed the call.
But what if we just trust God, the Almighty, all powerful, all knowing God and take that step of faith. God always equips those who He calls. It all comes down to whether or not we do trust Him.
Psalm 37:5 "Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him and he will do this."
Now that is a promise we can believe in. It's all about Him, not us.
MaryAnn
MaryAnn and John Kiernan have been married for 36 years, have 2 grown/married sons and are the proud grandparents of three grandsons and one granddaughter! She serves at America's Keswick as a Biblical Counselor and also as Intake Coordinator for the Colony of Mercy. Her life verse is Romans 8:28.
DIGGING DEEPER
3 I will not set before my eyes
anything that is worthless.
I hate the work of those who fall away;
it shall not cling to me.
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