Those God calls . . .

 

When a spirit-filled person finishes preaching the Word of God, the remark that I don’t want to hear is, “He is such a good speaker.”

Those who say it mean well. The sermon spoke to their heart, revealed sin and its remedy, or comforted them in some way yet the Word of God is clear; God  speaks through those whose hearts and mouths are yielded to Him. If someone, even a child, rebukes my sin or shares Jesus with me, God be praised. All glory is due to Him since He uses unqualified people to accomplish His purposes. Such a wonder!

The world’s value system honors people for their abilities, including self-confidence, but “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.” (Psalm 51:17) His value system is so unlike ours.

For thus says the One who is high and lifted up, who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: “I dwell in the high and holy place, and also with him who is of a contrite and lowly spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly, and to revive the heart of the contrite.” (Isaiah 57:15)

All these things my hand has made, and so all these things came to be, declares the Lord. But this is the one to whom I will look: he who is humble and contrite in spirit and trembles at my word. (Isaiah 66:2)

MacArthur begins a look at the men that Jesus selected to be His disciples. We sometimes call them a motley crew for not one had any special qualifications:

The names of the twelve apostles are these: first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother; Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; Simon the Zealot, and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him. (Matthew 10:2–4)

The NT verifies that they were called according to God’s will, not our worldly standards:

For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God. And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption, so that, as it is written, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.” (1 Corinthians 1:26–31)

Our society is qualification-conscious with standards for everything from buying a big-ticket item, getting a credit card, or going to college. Employers, even churches, hire people with the highest qualifications. But God does not operate in that way. Rather than list the sins of Adam and Eve, or Lot, or Abraham, or Jacob, Moses, David, Jonah, Elijah, and Paul, I think of my own sins and am grieved and puzzled that God chose me to be His child. Doing remarkable things? Not me; just being a child of God is an incredible honor.

No one is qualified to do God’s work. Everyone sins and falls short. We see the power of God in how He can take anyone into His family and use anyone to accomplish His purposes. He can speak “out of the mouth of babes” and use most ordinary people and events. For instance, years ago my sister wrote a letter to our mother. Mom shared the letter with a visitor who told me decades later that God used that letter to bring her to a powerful and life-changing encounter with Jesus Christ. Who else could have pulled that off? Only God!

In living our lives and doing whatever we do, God is at work. We may not see it or expect Him to use us (my sister didn’t write that letter to change someone’s life) yet He can and He does.

Jesus, so often I’ve prayed telling You what to do, as if I was that wise. The reality is that You are wonderful and good and always a surprise. I’m learning to pray that Your perfect will is done, even in our imperfect world full of imperfect people, including those who are ‘good speakers’ as well as those who stammer and stutter. None of us are capable of being like Jesus without Jesus, and the world thought You were worthy of death. Forgive us for our upside-down values and help us see Your power despite our imperfections, when in fact, You even use them!

MEDITATE today on Luke 6:40: “A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone when he is fully trained will be like his teacher” and keep my focus on Jesus.

 

 

 

Realizing helplessness

 

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 5:3)

I’ll say it again . . . I want the kingdom of heaven with no more sin, sorrow or pain; I just don’t like the ‘poor in spirit’ part.

Actually, it isn’t that bad, something like being a child without much knowledge or skill and willing to hold mom’s hand in strange places. It is something like walking into an art gallery and realizing that my efforts to paint are nowhere like those of the masters. It is like being lost and having to ask where I am and how to get to where I want to be. It is like talking to a physicist and realizing how little I know. It is also like all these things don’t bother me for pride is gone and I’m free to be childlike, helpless and humble, realizing that my Lord Jesus will supply all I need when I need it and I don’t have to whine or wish I wasn’t so destitute. It is realizing the power of God is here for me.

This is why today’s devotional can say “Poverty of spirit is a prerequisite to salvation and to victorious Christian living.” Jesus illustrates with this:

“Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed thus: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.’ But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’ I tell you, this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.” (Luke 18:10–14)

To most, being ‘poor’ means something like the Greek definition: a person cowering in dark corners of city streets begging for handouts, without personal resources and totally dependent on the gifts of others. Yet Jesus says those who are spiritually helpless and utterly destitute of human resources are blessed. We rely totally on God’s grace for salvation and daily life, and are happy with this state of being. We taste heaven’s delights now and will experience its full glory later. Of course we are blessed!

For thus says the One who is high and lifted up, who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: “I dwell in the high and holy place, and also with him who is of a contrite and lowly spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly, and to revive the heart of the contrite. (Isaiah 57:15)

The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise. (Psalm 51:17)

For those who want heaven and its glory, the price to pay is not being ‘good enough’ but by recognizing I can never be good enough, “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23) and that is not nor ever will be the entrance requirement. Instead, it is being like the tax collector, like the child, like the beggar and the cripple, those broken in spirit and contrite of heart. Then God hears my prayers and comes to my aid . . . and then I am blessed with a taste of heaven and the certainty that I’m headed there for eternity.

Jesus, the enemy to such blessing is pride. Whenever I sense competitiveness or a desire to be the best, or even to do better, I need to remember that being weak is not a bad thing. It is evidence that I’m where I ought to be and assurance that You are hearing my pleas for grace, strength, and the ability to obey You. When I’m weak, I am strong as You say: “’My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.” (2 Corinthians 12:9) Not only Your power, but Your great joy! Just keep reminding me not to let this poverty become a focus that keeps me from obeying You, for “I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength” (Philippians 4:13).

REMEMBER how God’s Word speaks of pride: Proverbs 8:13; 11:2; 16:5, 18–19 and be thankful when I cannot — rather than when I can.