“John, you have to look at this!” Jennifer excitedly shoved the letter into his hands. John examined the cream-colored envelope addressed to him in calligraphy with Buckingham palace stamped on the front and a royal seal on the back. “Open it, open it!” squealed Jennifer.
Carefully John broke the seal and removed the note. Rubbing his fingers across the embossed initials, he slowly opened it and read. Shaking his head in disbelief, John spoke, “The King wants me to sing at his dinner party! I’m not good enough for that!”
Wow! Wouldn’t you be astonished and honored to be asked by the King to do anything? What a privilege to be chosen! Actually, we are chosen and daily asked to do things by our King Lord Jesus. But we don’t always think of His requests as a privilege. Often, like John, we focus on our inabilities.
Don’t’ we assume that God would choose only someone who is mature, educated, attractive, wise or living a perfect life? Let’s see if that’s true.
AGE?
MARY & MOSES
How mature was Mary, when as a teenager she was chosen to be the mother of our Savior Jesus? Then on the opposite end of the scale is Moses. At 80 years old, Moses was called by God to lead the Israelites from captivity to the promised land of Israel.
AGE DOESN’T MATTER TO GOD.
They, (the righteous), shall still bear fruit in old age;
They shall be fresh and flourishing,
Psalm 92:14
Let no one despise your youth,
but be an example to the believers in word,
in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity,
1 Timothy 4:12
EDUCATION?
FOUR DISCIPLES
Who would expect uneducated fishermen to be chosen as Jesus’ close disciples and given authority to cast out demons and heal? But Jesus did just that choosing James, John, Andrew and Peter as four of His twelve disciples, (Luke 5:9-11).
And as He walked by the Sea of Galilee,
He saw Simon and Andrew his brother casting a net into the sea;
for they were fishermen.
Then Jesus said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you become fishers of men,”
Mark 1:16-17
EDUCATION DOESN’T MATTER TO GOD.
APPEARANCE?
JOHN THE BAPTIST
Imagine John the Baptist’s wild appearance. He foraged for locusts and wild honey in the wilderness and preferred a camel’s hair tunic over the latest style. Yet God chose him to prepare the way for Jesus’ ministry.
And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Highest;
For you will go before the face of the Lord to prepare His ways,
Luke 1:76
APPEARANCE DOESN’T MATTER TO GOD.
PERFECT?
DAVID & PAUL
Let’s consider David, who slew Goliath, won battles, brought the Ark to Jerusalem and was made King. He must have been perfect, right? This same David, lusted after Bathsheba, committed adultery and had her husband murdered, (2 Samuel 11:1-26). So, he made a few mistakes. Although there were consequences to David’s actions, God forgave him and continued to use David for His glory.
Then there is Paul, who was a zealous persecutor of believers in Jesus. Yet God chose him to preach and write much of the New Testament.
This I also did in Jerusalem, and many of the saints I shut up in prison,
having received authority from the chief priests;
and when they were put to death,
I cast my vote against them.
And I punished them often in every synagogue and compelled them to blaspheme;
and being exceedingly enraged against them,
I persecuted them even to foreign cities,
Acts 26:10-12
These examples show us how the Lord loves and forgives us no matter what we have done. In His great love for us, He will redeem our lives and use even our mistakes for good. Many came to know the Lord through Paul. He was and still is an example of God’s loving redemption.
And the list of imperfect people chosen by God to do great things, goes on and on.
WHAT QUALIFICATIONS DO MATTER TO GOD?
We don’t need an abundance of special qualifications. God doesn’t judge us like the manager at a job interview. It doesn’t matter what skills and qualifications we have. Whatever is needed to do a task, God will provide at the time we need it. It is not by our power and abilities that we succeed. It is by His.
WHAT MATTERS TO GOD IS THAT WE HAVE A LITTLE FAITH AND A WILLING HEART.
For the Lord sees not as man sees:
man looks on the outward appearance,
but the Lord looks on the heart,
1 Samuel 16:7b
THROUGH GOD
ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE
WITH FAITH
&
A WILLING HEART!
Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
And lean not on your own understanding;
In all your ways acknowledge Him,
And He shall direct your paths,
Proverbs 3:5-6
REFLECTION
Is your heart willing to do anything the Lord asks?
PRAYER
Heavenly Father, as I write Proverbs 3:5-6 and say it aloud, give me a willing heart. Strengthen my faith to do Your will, trusting that You will equip me for the task. In Jesus name. Amen.
IN FAITH, DO GOD’S WILL
May your day be filled with love and laughter!
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For information on making Jesus Christ your Savior, email me or visit, http://www.peacewithgod.net/
Photo girl, Hainguyen
Photo man, royalanwar
Photo leap, Walker Fenton
