It's 8:30am and the only sound in the house is the clickety-clack of the keyboard and the hum of the dishwasher. Normally my home does not achieve this level of quiet between the hours of 6:30 am to 8:30pm and even then there is an uncertainty in the air that communicates at any point some child could come rumbling from their beds with protests and complaints. But today my house is quiet as a result of my wonderful husband taking all three of the girls out and about so I can write. Specifically, so I could work on my book. But instead I am here at my blog because I don't feel I can focus on my book until I spit this out...
I have been reading this book, The 10 Second Rule by Clare De Graaf, which I received as a surprise gift in the mail from the homeschool curriculum company that we use, Sonlight. I am so excited to recommend this book to you that I am not even going to wait until I finish it to do so. The concept of the book is to "just do the next thing you're reasonably certain Jesus wants you to do." Essentially it is encouraging an awareness on your part of what God would have you do each moment of the day so that you are ready for the opportunities that He calls us to serve in love. Just like what I blogged about in my last post- the nagging feeling to offer the marketer in my sub some coffee!
The book triggered a thought for me last night. I pray regularly that God would put people in my life that I can minister to and be a beacon of light and love to. I'm pretty sure God has done his part. I have confessed many times on this blog, my failings in doing my part. And this is what occurred to me last night- with me being flimsy in my service to God, how can He place in front of me important needs when I constantly reject his calling for the smaller things? This is not to imply that God has no idea what I will do when He places a task before me (for He knows with certainty my actions before I have even laid them out), but why would God place the hearts of the spiritually dying in my hands when I have regularly turned away even in the case of my own friends in need?! It became apparent to me that God has a list of "go-to" people when He wants a job done. They are the people He knows are consistent in their service and are actually waiting for their assignment.
I want on that list. I want to be God's Go-to Girl! I want Him to say, "Today I have a widow in need of companionship and Katie will not let me down." I want Him to say, "The seed has been planted in the heart of a struggling man and Katie will water it until it blooms." I want Him to say, "Well done good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!" Matthew 25:21
Right now God is saying that the job is all mine but I have to prove I am ready for it. I have to prepare myself by becoming more faithful in the little things; by not denying those naggings at my heart but responding to them immediately; and by standing before Him each day when I awake and asking how He would have me conduct my day, not calling Him in as a back up plan when mine fails.
I feel like I just got the call that I have been accepted for an entry level position at a dream job. I have to prove myself here as a consistent and dedicated employee before I get the opportunity for promotion. But when that promotion rolls around, I want to be the first name that pops into my Boss's mind.
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7 comments:
I usually enjoy reading your posts, but today I have to say one thing: We don't get promotions. We are all God’s Go-To-Girls/Boys. We don't not have to have a certain amount of knowledge or consistency because we are all worthy. Certainly no human is loved more than another and therefore gets a "promotion".
Someone who does not know Christ can walk into church and be able to minister those that have been reading the bible for 30 years.
Perhaps if you are still waiting, you should make more opportunities for yourself. Go to homeless shelters, go to neighborhood, go to prisons, or just go out. (Perhaps you already do those things, but maybe its time to do more). The best opportunities come unexpected.
Dear Anonymous, Please forgive me for poorly communicating my thoughts! Perhaps I work best in a non-quiet home! I did not mean to communicate that there is a hierarchy to God's love, nor did I mean to communicate that God "promotes" us, as I stated. What I meant to state was more at the heart of what you said, that it is time to do more. I really just want to be more aware of the opportunities that are already out in front of me.
Katrina, I loved your blog. It's honest and transparent. I especially like how you expressed the idea of simple obedience was like being" accepted for an entry level position at a dream job." Great writing! I might quote you some day.
Thanks for the comment (and compliment), Clare. Feel free to quote, as I will be quoting you a lot, as well as recommending your book! I can't tell you how much it has already caused me to deeply consider my actions.
Katie, the book is correct but you have instincts telling you through your emotions that you are not good enough and need to try harder. My experiences convince me that those emotions often prod us to do the wrong things. Instead, let God be in charge of your life’s adventures. You know how to do good and loving things. Instead of trying harder, look for God to surprise you in new and different ways as He sees fit. Some experiences may seem of little importance when they happen, but turn out to have special meaning for you later on. Some may give you difficult times now, but may help you learn lessons for the future. Although I say God doesn’t do everything for us and we have to do our part, we also need to allow God to do His part. We need to think carefully to spot if we are allowing our emotions to prod us to do wrong things. It is so easy to try to be superior rather than cooperate in love. Jim
Jim, I used to be a "let go and let God" guy, usually when it came to me helping someone I didn't want to. I used it as an excuse to wait on God before I did what he's already told me in scripture to do. I think Jesus does expect more of us. That's what Jesus meant by "deny yourself, take up you cross daily", not so we can be saved, but because we are saved.
I used to be wary of doing things based on emotions, until I realized that's exactly why Jesus did what he did for me. That's why did everything-everything.LOVE, the greatest emotion of them all! I pray every day for the courage to act more out of love than logic.
Jim, you're right that doing things out of emotion can cause us to do wrong things, that's why before we throw our brains out the window, we need to study scripture so intently that we could finish Jesus' sentences. But in the end, I'd rather make a mistake out of love, than fail to love because I wasn't certain.
You sound like a good man. Thanks
I REALLY enjoyed this blog. I think this is a sensitive subject and people are reacting because of it. I feel like God is calling each and every one of us to Service and to make disciples and I know I am not doing my part as well as I can. But with God's grace, guidance, and relationship I can partner with him and get the job done. But I still need to do my part.
How about when God tested Abraham to see how faithful a servant he was when he asked Abraham to sacrifice Issac? Or how about all he called Moses to do? I feel like Katie really spoke about God calling us to do things and us not stepping up to the plate.
Lets not try and downplay our own inactivity and action when it comes to witnessing. Let us encourage one another in love while we daily witness to the people God puts in our paths. If we were all witnessing in some form there were not be so many unchurched and non believers in our country alone.
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