In my search for where God was leading Robin and me, I’ve
had the opportunity to speak with and get to know in some way a number of
individuals who have been charged by their church to seek out and select a
person to recommend to their respective churches that they might vote on and
then call. For most of them this is a long and difficult task as they first
have to begin the lengthy process of evaluating the needs of the church, establishing
a profile describing the desired traits of an acceptable applicant, and seeking
and gaining approval for their search criteria. Then they can begin the process
of searching, where frequently they have well over one hundred interested
applicants respond. From these individuals they begin the process of putting long
and frequent hours into filtering through packets and resumes, praying about
their choices, and narrowing them down to a much smaller group that they read
more fully and more in-depth. This process continues until they can trim the
group down to a number that usually fits on one hand. Then they begin the
process of interviewing, listening to or viewing sermons, checking backgrounds
and speaking with references, and even traveling to hear the individual(s)
speak in person, with the objective of arriving at one individual who they can
invite to their home church as a formal candidate. This all seems pretty
logical and a pattern that would be easy to follow, but in most cases it is not
that simple. There might not be one clear choice, and then the person they decide
upon may not even be available when they arrive at their decision, knowing that
just as they are working through a number of individuals the individuals themselves
may be speaking with a number of churches.
If there were any task that we might think of the need to
bring every consideration before God and seek His wisdom and direction, this
one as I have observed, is definitely near the top of the list. Though in
reality, everything we face should be at the top of our list. Whether it is a
relatively big thing, with the welfare of others looking to us, or a small
thing in our comparison scale, our need to stay conscious of God and relying on
Him is integral to how we should live our lives.
Apart from God, burdens like these are huge. We could look
at being on such a committee as a monstrous task where ultimately we might even
make the wrong choice. We could easily become overwhelmed and grow weary, even
wanting to give up. We might get irritated at others on the committee when they
don’t agree with our own preferences. There is so much that could go wrong, and
we would be responsible for it. This would be something very easy for us to
feel, if we thought as if the recommendation and/or decision really rested solely
only on us. But thinking this way would be thinking a lie. And no matter how
big the issue, any thinking along these lines is buying into the same lie.
We have a God who has a purpose for us and for His church,
and He has promised to direct our steps. What He has told us to do is to bring
everything to Him, weigh everything before Him, search His word for direction,
and listen to the leading of His Spirit, and here is the big one—trust Him for
the outcomes knowing even if we don’t get it quite right that He will still
continue His work and accomplish His purposes. He is faithful and we are called
to trust in His faithfulness, and the biggest thing we can do in relation to
this is to bring everything before Him, as Sarah says in today’s “Jesus Calling,”
step-by-step.
“Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord
rather than for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of
the inheritance. It is the Lord Christ whom you serve.” (Colossians 3:23–24,
NASB95)
“for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to
work for His good pleasure.” (Philippians 2:13, NASB95)
“Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable,
always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain
in the Lord.” (1 Corinthians 15:58, NASB95)
“Trust in the Lord
with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways
acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.” (Proverbs 3:5–6,
NASB95)
Today in “Jesus Calling” by Sarah Young (10/15)
Try to stay conscious of Me as you go step-by-step through
this day. My Presence with you is both a promise and a protection. My final
statement just before I ascended into heaven was: Surely I am with you always.
That promise was for all of My followers, without exception.
The promise of My Presence is a powerful protection. As you
journey through your life, there are numerous pitfalls along the way. Many
voices clamor for your attention, enticing you to go their way. A few steps
away from your true path are pits of self-pity and despair, plateaus of pride
and self-will. If you take your eyes off Me and follow another’s way, you are
in grave danger. Even well-meaning friends can lead you astray if you let them usurp
My place in your life. The way to stay on the path of Life is to keep your
focus on Me. Awareness of My Presence is your best protection.
“…and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the
age.”” (Matthew 28:20, NASB95)
“Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses
surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so
easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before
us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the
joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at
the right hand of the throne of God.” (Hebrews 12:1–2, NASB95)
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