Hear and obey

God uses the most unlikely people. A barren couple are given the promise of many descendants and are told a nation shall rise from them and through them, all nations will be blessed. A slave is lifted from the dungeons to instruct the ruler of Egypt. Where God has a respected priest he uses a boy to lead people back to worship. Where he has a soldier, he uses a shepherd to defeat a giant warrior. He uses a girl to deliver a nation. He uses a cupbearer to raise the city of God from ashes and rubble. A  young virgin is tasked with carrying the Son of God and Savior of mankind in her womb. An enthusiastic persecutor of Christianity is made to be its greatest advocate. A monk stands against the whole church to lead people back to truth and the way of faith. A failed missionary sets off national revival. Why does God use such people?

In the instances above, God was able to speak to the person he used. It’s not that he didn’t speak to anyone else, but these people were listening. They were not only hearing, but they were hearing with an inclination to cooperate with what God had to say. God spoke to Abraham(Genesis 12:1), and Abraham believed God. He moved forward at the Word of the Lord and God counted him righteous (Genesis 15:6, Romans 4:3, 18; Galatians 3:6; James 2:23) and used his righteous life to advance the Kingdom. God gave Joseph a dream and Joseph trusted God to see him through. God used Joseph’s hear and obey attitude for his purposes and to bless Israel (Genesis 50:20). Samuel stands in contrast to Eli and his two wicked sons as the one God would use to lead the nation of Israel (1 Samuel 3:11-14, 19-21). God took the listening obedient heart of the Shepherd boy David, and made him King, because king Saul could no longer hear the voice of God (1 Samuel 28:15). Esther became queen and heard the call of God through her uncle Mordecai, put her life on the line, and was used of God to frustrate the plans of the enemy(Esther 4:14, 16). Nehemiah’s heart was broken over the city where God had put his name (Nehemiah 2:1-2), and God used Him to bring restoration and hope (Nehemiah 13:14). Mary was chosen to bear the Christ child, and her response was total surrender to the will of God (Luke 1:38). A hostile Pharisee, Saul became a friend of the church, transformed through revelation and submission (Acts 9:1-22). Martin Luther led the protestant reformation with the ninety-five thesis (outlining inconsistencies in the church) nailed to Wittenberg Castle door because God spoke to him through the Scriptures and he felt he had to stand on what God had said rather than allow clergy to subvert the Word of God. John Wesley led the Great Awakening in England and the Americas through the experiential knowledge of a surrendered and purified heart.

God is still using people. It may not be the ones you would expect. It may be a farm boy who hears the call of God to “Preach the Gospel” (remember Billy Graham). It may be a shoe store clerk (Dwight Moody) called to be an evangelist, or the son of a traveling preacher God calls to be a missionary (Jim Elliot). God can speak to a young man from a wealthy respectable family and use his obedience to stand up against tyranny and oppression (Dietrich Bonheoffer). God uses people who hear and obey. The ones most willing to listen to God are the one’s God is most likely to use. Speak Lord, for your servant hears.

United in Purpose

We were blessed to have missionaries stay with us this last weekend. Our church had a weekend mission focus. I was saddened by the turnout we had on Saturday for our cultural awareness luncheon. Though the event was announced well in advance, when the time came, most begged off with one excuse or another. It was similar to the parable of The Great Banquet (Luke 14:15-23). Everyone had an excuse not to come. Sunday morning we had good attendance and the missions offering was good, but again, Sunday night was sparse. It must be disheartening travel hours to share the mission work God has laid upon your heart and find little interest.

Our missionaries were kind and took it all in stride. They shared with those who were there and were gracious guests in our home. It was evident that their passion was strong. Their lives are dedicated to God in total submission.

If we call Jesus master, and believe the Bible to be our rule of life, we too should have more than a passing interest in missions. Jesus commissioned us to teach others about Him (Matt. 28:18-20; Mark 16:15; Acts 1:8). The love of Christ compelled Paul to give his life to spread the Word of God (2 Cor. 5:14-15). The book of Acts is a missionary document. The very purpose of Christ coming to earth is a missions statement (Luke 19:10).

When we see mission work as the purpose of God for each one of us and not just for a select few, we are on our way to joining the united purpose of God. And when we lend our support to missionaries who are on the field we are supporting the purposes of God. God is pleased when we give our resources to support missionaries (Phil. 4:15, 18). Mission work is a joint enterprise. Those who unite their hearts and hands to missions unite themselves together in the great purpose of God. Hearts untouched by missions are untouched by the purpose of God. Each of us must ask ourselves, "Whose purpose do we really serve?"