Qualified for Service
I put this together as the first devotional for the BCM website earlier today.
When I was chosen to be the BCM Website Coordinator this year, I felt excited and humbled. Excited to have a role among a group of terrific young people with a passion for Jesus. Humbled in that despite my shortcomings, I was called to serve. Words can't express how thrilled and yet anxious I am about my position. I'll be honest here; I've never managed a professional website in my life. I'm a complete dunce at working with things like templates, HTML coding, graphics design, etc. Initially, I wasn't at all sure I could do it. And yet I was chosen for the role.
Prayer is a powerful tool, especially when you're having doubts. So I prayed to God several times, bringing my doubts and concerns to the table. Again and again, I'd ask, "God, I want to seek Your will and not my own. Is this what You would have me do? I don't feel like I'm properly equipped for this position. Are You sure someone else isn't better qualified? Managing a website is a pretty big deal! I don't want to mess it up..." I would ask these questions and voice my doubts before God. And each time, I felt the Holy Spirit stir within my heart, as if God was rebuking me for doubting Him. It felt like He was telling me, "Listen. I have you here for a reason. I want you to do this. You don't have to worry about doing it perfectly or making a mistake. I don't expect you to be perfect. If you'll just keep on trusting Me and get rid of your fear and doubt, you will glorify Me through this."
Thinking about this, I can't help but be reminded of Matthew 4:18-22. Simon Peter and his brother Andrew had been fishermen their whole lives. Along comes Jesus, who tells them to follow him and be "fishers of men." James and John were also there to hear the call. I don't know what was going through their minds when they heard that, but I can imagine they had their own doubts and fears. In Luke 5:1-11, at the Lake of Gennesaret, Jesus called them a second time. They had gone back to their fishing business, but this time, Jesus met them on their level. He produced a miraculous catch of fish as a sign that he cared about their needs and daily activities. When Peter saw this, he fell to his knees, face down in front of Jesus and begged him to go away from him; "I am a sinful man!"
In essence, Peter was saying, "Lord, why are you wasting your time on me? Surely, I'm beneath your attention and miracles! How can you possibly be bothered with a sinful person like me?" Peter rightly recognized his own sinfulness in the eyes of God, but he was still gripped by fear.What he didn't realize was that in teaching him and the disciples, and providing the miracle, Jesus showed that He did have a plan for their lives. He was calling them out to be a part of something bigger than themselves. All they had to do was leave everything behind and follow him. Jesus then said to Peter, "Don't be afraid; from now on you will catch men." And from that moment on, Peter and the other disciples left their nets of questions, doubt, fear, and uncertainty behind - and they followed Jesus.
How amazing is that? Jesus takes the most unlikely of men - modest fishermen, the low rung on the societal totem pole - and makes them his disciples. They weren't professional or perfect by any means. But that wasn't what the task required. Jesus asked for nothing but their total devotion to him, relying on God's power instead of their own, and they would glorify Him. That's a lesson I took from this passage in my own role. Looking back, I think I can say I reacted like Peter after the catch of fish. I knew I was inadequate, but instead of trusting in the Holy Spirit, I let my fear take control. The Spirit convicted me of that, and so I finally decided to stop doubting and spinning my wheels. God has a plan and a purpose in choosing me to take care of this website. I don't know all the details, but I trust that the Holy Spirit will equip and train me on His terms. I can't promise this website will be a professional one because I'm not a professional - but I can say that I will give it my total commitment. Jesus deserves no less.
Song of the Day: Jars of Clay - "Worlds Apart"
Verse of the Day: "Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. But understand this: if the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into. So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him." - Matthew 24:42-44
When I was chosen to be the BCM Website Coordinator this year, I felt excited and humbled. Excited to have a role among a group of terrific young people with a passion for Jesus. Humbled in that despite my shortcomings, I was called to serve. Words can't express how thrilled and yet anxious I am about my position. I'll be honest here; I've never managed a professional website in my life. I'm a complete dunce at working with things like templates, HTML coding, graphics design, etc. Initially, I wasn't at all sure I could do it. And yet I was chosen for the role.
Prayer is a powerful tool, especially when you're having doubts. So I prayed to God several times, bringing my doubts and concerns to the table. Again and again, I'd ask, "God, I want to seek Your will and not my own. Is this what You would have me do? I don't feel like I'm properly equipped for this position. Are You sure someone else isn't better qualified? Managing a website is a pretty big deal! I don't want to mess it up..." I would ask these questions and voice my doubts before God. And each time, I felt the Holy Spirit stir within my heart, as if God was rebuking me for doubting Him. It felt like He was telling me, "Listen. I have you here for a reason. I want you to do this. You don't have to worry about doing it perfectly or making a mistake. I don't expect you to be perfect. If you'll just keep on trusting Me and get rid of your fear and doubt, you will glorify Me through this."
Thinking about this, I can't help but be reminded of Matthew 4:18-22. Simon Peter and his brother Andrew had been fishermen their whole lives. Along comes Jesus, who tells them to follow him and be "fishers of men." James and John were also there to hear the call. I don't know what was going through their minds when they heard that, but I can imagine they had their own doubts and fears. In Luke 5:1-11, at the Lake of Gennesaret, Jesus called them a second time. They had gone back to their fishing business, but this time, Jesus met them on their level. He produced a miraculous catch of fish as a sign that he cared about their needs and daily activities. When Peter saw this, he fell to his knees, face down in front of Jesus and begged him to go away from him; "I am a sinful man!"
In essence, Peter was saying, "Lord, why are you wasting your time on me? Surely, I'm beneath your attention and miracles! How can you possibly be bothered with a sinful person like me?" Peter rightly recognized his own sinfulness in the eyes of God, but he was still gripped by fear.What he didn't realize was that in teaching him and the disciples, and providing the miracle, Jesus showed that He did have a plan for their lives. He was calling them out to be a part of something bigger than themselves. All they had to do was leave everything behind and follow him. Jesus then said to Peter, "Don't be afraid; from now on you will catch men." And from that moment on, Peter and the other disciples left their nets of questions, doubt, fear, and uncertainty behind - and they followed Jesus.
How amazing is that? Jesus takes the most unlikely of men - modest fishermen, the low rung on the societal totem pole - and makes them his disciples. They weren't professional or perfect by any means. But that wasn't what the task required. Jesus asked for nothing but their total devotion to him, relying on God's power instead of their own, and they would glorify Him. That's a lesson I took from this passage in my own role. Looking back, I think I can say I reacted like Peter after the catch of fish. I knew I was inadequate, but instead of trusting in the Holy Spirit, I let my fear take control. The Spirit convicted me of that, and so I finally decided to stop doubting and spinning my wheels. God has a plan and a purpose in choosing me to take care of this website. I don't know all the details, but I trust that the Holy Spirit will equip and train me on His terms. I can't promise this website will be a professional one because I'm not a professional - but I can say that I will give it my total commitment. Jesus deserves no less.
Song of the Day: Jars of Clay - "Worlds Apart"
Verse of the Day: "Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. But understand this: if the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into. So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him." - Matthew 24:42-44
posted by david @ 7:09 PM
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