Are You Ready?
Hmmm
Daddy bought a bicycle!
It was a mountain bike, ran on two wheels, multi-gears by Shimano, he put me on it when I was 5, I held the handle bar tight, I was very sure I sat right, daddy gave me a little push on the seat, and there I went…
No, that can’t be right!
You can’t be possibly cycling a two-wheeler at the age of 5… Cause you aren’t ready!
You can tell… That at my age, of my build and size… I couldn’t possibly be on a mountain bike all by myself!
I woke earlier than usual today. If you’ve read my earlier posts, you would have known that I didn’t sleep well the night before. So, I did some reflection and some reading; rather homework for the Session which will be conducted by the TRAC President, Rev. Dr. T. Jeyakumar later in the evening today. I won’t blame you concluding that I’m not a good student; homework assignment given one week ago, and there I am preparing it today, on the very day itself. I admit. Guilty.
I’ve been a Christian since I was 13. The journey wasn’t all smooth-going, there were times being a Christian was like wearing a name tag, tag on, tag off… Abel was good and nice in church, and was a rascal in school. I only got more serious in my walk with Christ a couple years ago. Since then, my life changed – even though I was actively serving in my local church all these years, and even though I was involved in many, many activities that my church had on-going.
I’m not the Abel I was before.
One, among some of the thoughts that ran through my mind was this: Am I ready? The next question you might ask: For what? Precisely!
Am I ready? And… For what?
- I have been told many times in Church that my life is not my own.
- I have also been told many times in Church that God has plans for me.
- I have also been told that there are great things that God will be doing, with me, and through me.
You see it didn’t come as clear as it did today that it isn’t about… me. Being a Christian was never about me writing a story. Being a Christian was never about me of how much God has done for me, and how much He has blessed me.
Being a Christian was rather, His story, with me in it. Therefore, the focus should never be on us, me and you, but rather to be on Him and Him alone.
I have also learnt today that it’s not proper to ask “What’s God’s will for my life?” but rather it should be “What’s God’s will?”
So how does this question being ready or not ties in?
- Have you ever wondered “is that it” to your life as a Christian, in your church, in your ministry, with what and all that you’re doing?
- Have you ever felt not satisfied with the results you’re getting after all that has been done and poured into the ministry you are currently in?
- Have you ever felt just… stagnant? Nothing seems to be moving, or growing, no fruits seem to be showing? Amounts to nothing?
Is that it?
- What if I were to tell you that perhaps… you’re not ready for God to give you more?
- What if you’re not at the place where God wants you to be?
- What if you’re still not seeing what God wants you to see?
Are you ready? I hope I am.
What then are some tangible ways we can fall back on, to evaluate our progress? Or whether we are right on track?
3 simple pointers… Using W…
Reflection
Am I ready? For what?
Worship
Worship encompasses your whole being.
Worship
Our worship.
Yes! And no worship isn’t just all about the songs we sing on Sundays, it’s not just about how we sing them, how loud, how “electrifying” it may seem to be. Worship is more than just words. Worship reflects also on the way we live our lives, daily (not just on Sundays, or the day you go to church).
Consider what Jesus said in Matthew 15:8-9, ESV:
“This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me; in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.”
Worship encompasses your whole being. Worship is how your life reflects of God’s glory and how close is your walk, your relationship with Him. Your act of worship would be in terms of your thoughts, your words and your deeds… I would also add your wants and needs…
Ponder upon Galatians 2:20 (ESV), and examine what it says:
I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
God’s Will
With you, before you, not after you.
God’s Will
When we are on track, we should know what God’s will is. I believe this is also one of the more frequent questions asked by Christians all around the world.
However, I came to understand that it’s never the question is what God’s will is for my life… but rather how is my life gonna be part of God’s will or God’s master plan?
Take it this way, you don’t ask someOne that big to customize a plan just for you so that what He plans on doing fits yours but on the contrary, it is more logical to ask how you can fit into His master plan.
So, do you know what God’s will is? Cause if you don’t, I can generally conclude saying:
- You will find yourself frustrated not knowing what to do with your life.
- You will find your life meaningless as you try to do life without the purpose.
- You will find yourself not interested in the works of His Kingdom.
The Benediction, found in Hebrews 13:20-21, ESV:
20 Now may the God of peace who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant, 21 equip you with everything good that you may do his will, working in us that which is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.
Pay special attention to this part of the verse:
“equip you with everything good that you may do his will”
God will also equip us so that we are fit for the work He has called us to.
Have you thought of – what God is preparing you to do, with all the gifts and talents that He has given you?
Remember that He is God Emmanuel… God with us… It is found in Isaiah 7:14, later on in Matthew 1:23 as well, God said to Joshua in Joshua 1:9, also found in Deuteronomy 31:6, Matthew 28:20… you get the idea… He is with us…
So often we take Emmanuel, the term “with us” as in just His presence in our life. We just take it literally as He is just there watching but we don’t link it as God providing as well. I believe these should go together when we proclaim God Emmanuel – His presence, His providence, dare I also say His partnership as well.
He will sort it out with you, if not before you, but definitely not after you. With you, before you, not after you. God doesn’t need what we know. God certainly doesn’t need what we can do. God for all that’s worth, He doesn’t need you but He could use you, only if you allow Him to.
Look at what Paul said in 1 Corinthians 1:27, ESV:
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 don’t need us to be too good in order to be used by Him. All He is asking, if we would.
Definitely then, we will know God’s will, and we will be part of it, in doing it as well. Let’s look at what Jesus said in John 14:12, ESV:
Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father.
And one more to seal this section, words from Paul in Philippians 2:13, ESV:
For it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.
Wait & Listen
Not a second more, not a second less.
Wait & Listen
Yes, I know what God’s will is so let’s go!
There’s not much time left. Let’s go!
What are you waiting for? Let’s go!
Hurry. Let’s go!
What if I were to tell you to wait, and listen?
We are living in a world pressed in seeing results. We go through a lot of stress, getting ourselves into unnecessary arguments along the way in the effort of wanting to see the results we desire.
Normally we would try to interpret things as to how our earthly-tuned brains want to see it.
We try to be God.
Among some things that we’ll do: We’ll try to speed up things, we try to make things happen, we try to do it with our own effort and abilities. Sounds familiar to what I said before? All that we do amounts to nothing.
We can see a rather consistent theme across the Bible that this God of ours, is a God of perfect timing. Not a second more, not a second less. Perfect timing.
He knows best when and when not to. He knows perfectly when to reap, giving the results, that only He can produce.
Wait and listen.
It is undeniable that waiting is something hard to do in the world we’re living in today. We’ve been so used to running around, attending to things in life everyday. Have we been doing things on our own terms and in our own ways?
Wait and listen.
Then obey…
8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord.
9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts.
10 “For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven
and do not return there but water the earth,
making it bring forth and sprout,
giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater,
11 so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth;
it shall not return to me empty,
but it shall accomplish that which I purpose,
and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.Isaiah 55:8-11, ESV.
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