What are we waiting for?
Grand Sweep Daily Reading: Joshua 16, 17, 18
Joshua 18:3 (NIV)
3 So Joshua said to the Israelites: “How long will you wait before you begin to take possession of the land that the Lord, the God of your fathers, has given you?”
Esther 4:13-14 (NIV)
13 He sent back this answer, “Do not think that because you are in the king’s house you alone of all the Jews will escape. 14 For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this?”
Good morning!
Every time I stand up to speak to a group of people, I get nervous. Every single time! I would much rather play the piano and sing than stand up and speak. I’m often asked to give presentations at work, especially when I’m launching a new database or training others to use the software. I am willing to lead when I’m called upon to do so. But that doesn’t mean that I like it. I find myself giving three to five oral presentations per quarter in the classes I’m taking at Lindenwood University. I think the teachers must do this on purpose just to make my stomach hurt. Do you ever get a belly ache when its time to stand up and speak?
Moses did not feel qualified to speak for the Jews in Egypt. He bartered with the Lord to allow his brother Aaron, who did not have a stammering tongue, to speak to the Pharaoh. I find it comforting to know that someone whom I love is standing in the wings, praying for me as I speak. In every situation, I call upon the Lord for help. If He calls me to it, He will see me through it and I pray that the words I speak are His. I remind myself constantly that I am just the messenger. Please don’t shoot the messenger!
Does God ever ask you when you are going to finally stand up and tell what you know to be true? Joshua asked the very same question to the Israelites. How long will you wait? God has given you the land – now get up and take it! If we truly believe that the Lord of life has saved us from our sin, and has created a pathway to everlasting relationship with the Father, what are we waiting for? Jesus instructed his disciples to go and tell the Good News. Why is it so hard to share the best thing that has ever happened to you?
Sometimes we wait for our pastors to lead. After all, we pay them to do this work; they can spread the Gospel for us. We sit in our comfortable chairs at church, waiting for our neighbor to raise their hand and volunteer to fill a slot, fix a meal, or give a love offering for a worthy cause. It is easier to let someone else make the commitment for us, thereby removing us from the proverbial fish hook. Are we really off the hook with God? How long must we squirm on the end of the fishing line before we dive into the deep? Will we continue to dangle our toes over the edge, checking to see if the water is warm, before we jump in and swim? When we know that the battle is already won, what in the world keeps us from launching into the deep with wild abandon?
My experience teaches me that a little nervous anxiety is a blessing from above. If I were too self-assured, I might rely on my own steam instead of the Lord to say the words that need to be said. You see, without the saving grace of Jesus Christ, I would have nothing to offer you or anyone else. This has nothing, absolutely nothing to do with me. The mercy I’ve experienced could not be earned. I don’t deserve the love He has shown me over and over again. I stand up and speak today because the Lord Jesus Christ has done an incredible work within my heart. It is His love that lifts me out of my chair. It is His grace that pours from my mouth. It is His life that I want to emulate. I would be very happy to simply melt in a puddle on the floor and just allow the risen Christ to be seen and heard in my stead. He gives me grace, knowing that when I open my mouth, I may insert my foot. Yet, if I rely on Him to speak through me, I know that whatever is said was from Him. And I can tell you, He is the only one worth listening to.
How long will you wait before you speak up? Have you heard the risen Christ calling out your name? We may be living for such a time as this. If you could offer someone eternal hope today, what would you say?
Grace and peace,
Deb Spaulding
www.songofdeborah.com
Pray for: courage to get up and speak! If you ask the Lord to help you, He will do it. This is your moment. You can make an everlasting difference in the life of another human being. What are you waiting for?
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© Copyright 2007, Deb Spaulding
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