Aloha Dearest Family,
Lately I’ve been watching video clips of Martial Arts
movies. It’s fun to watch the hero “Kung-Fu” artists like Bruce Lee, Steven
Segal, Jean-Claude Van Damme or Donnie Yen playing Ip Man, kicking butt. And it
seems that everyone else in the fight also knows some form of Martial Arts. But
no matter how badly the bad guys get beat, they always go back for more
punishment.
But I’ve also noticed that the hero wins (eventually)
because of his own unmatched skill. It’s obvious that he or she had learned
more fighting techniques, had more expert training or spent some time in a
Shaolin temple, so he or she has more skill than the thugs that they are
fighting. But that’s what makes these movies fun.
However, when God calls us, He knows that we are
not trained for the calling. He didn’t call us because of our skill, talent or
natural ability (or Kung Fu moves). When God called us to the faith, He looked
upon our heart and saw someone He could work with; someone who was teachable
and would obey Him. God knows that HE is all that we would ever need; and with Him,
we could accomplish what He has called us to do.
I think of Joshua and Caleb after they had helped spy out
the Promised Land. Ten men came back with a dire report about the inhabitants
of the land which made the people afraid. But Joshua and Caleb had a different
attitude. They were excited about going in and taking the land at once.
“Then Caleb silenced the people before Moses and said, “We should go up and take possession of the land, for we can certainly do it.” (Numbers 13:30)
“..and (Joshua) said to the entire Israelite assembly, “The land we passed through and explored is exceedingly good. If the Lord is pleased with us, he will lead us into that land, a land flowing with milk and honey, and will give it to us. Only do not rebel against the Lord. And do not be afraid of the people of the land, because we will devour them. Their protection is gone, but the Lord is with us. Do not be afraid of them.” (Numbers 14:7-9)
How could they be so confidant? Was it because Joshua and Caleb were experienced soldiers and great fighters? Had they worked out an unbeatable strategy of how to take the land? Remember that 11 days earlier they were slaves in Egypt. It must have been that they recognized that God was with them and would fight with them. They would certainly win any battle if God was involved. But as the Bible records, Joshua and Caleb were ignored and the people believed the report of the 10 who were afraid to go. Israel then spent the next 40 years in the wilderness because of it.
If you look at all the men and women in the Bible that
God called, NONE of them had the natural abilities to do what He called them to
do.
Joseph, Moses and David were shepherds.
Jeremiah
was the son of a priest.
Nehemiah
was the king’s cup-bearer.
Peter,
Andrew, James and John were fishermen.
Paul
was a saddle-maker by trade.
God worked with these individuals and helped
them grow in their believing and their trust in the one who called them. This
makes all the difference. God would equip them and be their helper in whatever
He called them to do.
“Now may the God of peace.. equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.“ (Hebrews 13:20a-21)
God has not changed. He still works the same way today. We ALL have a calling but we do not need to be concerned accomplishing it in OUR OWN ability. He equips us with His strength and wisdom and we rely on HIS ability. HE is our sufficiency. He is a Creator that specializes in bringing the impossible to pass. He is all we will ever need.
“Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think anything as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God;” (II Corinthians 3:5)
Love Always, Ray
“God doesn’t call the equipped. He equips the called.”
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