More often than not, when people brag they are doing so on their own behalf and for their own furtherance. As such, I try not to be one to brag, but sometimes you just can't help yourself. Thankfully, though, this isn't one of those times when I'm trying to make myself look good, or even just better. This is one of those times when I can seriously and sincerely say that I had absolutely nothing whatsoever to do with the greatness of which I am about to brag.
You know, sometimes, we think we have to do everything ourselves...kind of like God gave us the ability to do some things so that He wouldn't have to help us as much or some such thought. I used to think that way. I used to think that God only helps those who help themselves. But then I slowly began to realize that without God's help, I'm helpless. The more I tried to things on my own, the more I failed. The more I tried to keep God on the bench, the more I was defeated.
You see, God isn't that member of the team that should be coming off the bench. He's that member that should never come out of the game. In fact, when we pull him out of the game, because He never pulls Himself out, we immediately begin to slide into defeat. And we think it's because we aren't working hard enough, or because we aren't praying enough. In reality, we are defeated because we tried to take the place of absolute greatness. Think of it, if we were in a pick-up game of basketball, and Michael Jordan was on our team, would we put him on the bench? Or what if we were in a pick-up game of hockey, and Wayne Gretzky was on our side, would we have him sit and watch? I don't mean to elevate these individuals to a level that they don't deserve, but the idea is clear. It's illogical, if not down-right stupid, to take someone who is so completely capable of doing a better job than us out of the game just so that we can get in there and try to do it ourselves.
You know, when Dulcy and I first began to think of transitioning back to the United States, our minds were filled with "what-if's". What if we can't afford plane tickets? What if we can't afford a good enough car? What if we can't afford a good enough place to live? What if...What if...What if...etc., etc., etc. We were failing to see the goodness of God. We were failing to realize that God was pleading, indeed He was screaming, "PUT ME IN THE GAME!!! TRUST ME!!! I KNOW WHAT I'M DOING!!!"
Well, in the month since we decided to trust God with our future, He hasn't ceased to amaze! Remember those "what-if's"? God has provided plane tickets for my entire family back to the US for only $2400...that's for no less than five people. God has provided a car for our family at no charge to us through one of His obedient saints. It's the one pictured above...a 2001 Cadillac STS with only 60,000 miles on it. A far cry from the clunker I was probably going to end up purchasing. And the pastor with which we are going to join in the ministry has said that he thinks he has a 4-bedroom, 2-bath house for us to rent for a good price when we arrive. Would you like to know the extent of our involvement in any of this? Simple acceptance. We didn't have to lift a finger, except to type in our information for the plane tickets. Everything just plopped in our laps.
If God is sitting on your bench, put Him in the game. He wants to win it for you so that you may glorify Him in your victory. He will not impose His greatness. But He will exercise it as soon as you put Him in the game.
Our God Reigns!!!
No comments:
Post a Comment