Limb-o

I know the day is just started, but I've already had a great morning! Woke up earlier than I needed to, not on purpose, because my parents told me to get up for the 9:15am service. So I got up at 8:15ish and started to get ready for the day. But as I was shaving, I was startled to see my dad all dressed up like a blizzard was going to wipe out our house. He told me that we were going to the later service because of some reason and so I decided to head on outside to help him shovel the 4-5 inches of snow we got yesterday! Well needless to say, I had a blast shoveling the snow! For some reason I really missed it. I haven't done it in probably two years, and I thoroughly enjoyed it! And it was probably the best snow I've ever seen. The snow was light and fluffy, but with one scoop into the snow, it was a perfect snowball. The best "packing" snow I have seen in combination with the lightness of it too. It was weird, but it was awesome. And there was just something about getting up early before anyone goes anywhere, shoveling the snow, listening to the sounds of nature and other men around the block scraping the driveway and sidewalks. It brought back many memories of when my dad would make two huge piles near the end of the driveway and I would make one snow fort and my sister and brother would make a snow fort and we'd have snowball fights all day. Good times =)

But another great thing about today was church. I love my church and my pastor! He is so "down-to-earth" and just speaks the truth; not always things we want to hear, but what we need to hear. But today his title was "Out no a limb." I didn't really know where he was going with that, but it seemed rather interesting. I tried to think of how this relates to a lesson, but I figured I would just let him talk to me instead of me trying to steal his thunder.

Going along with the Christmas theme, we read from Luke 2 (with many other references too, but mainly in Luke). And after reading the verses, the first thing he said to us was, "Have you ever gone out on a limb for God?" Bam. Instantly I got the point of the analogy. Now send the reinforcements. Here were his examples:

Joseph and Mary -
- The Lord told both Joseph and Mary to go out on a limb by marrying being each other. Joseph would be ridiculed for marrying a women who was already pregnant. And Mary was ridiculed for being pregnant without being married.

Abram (later Abraham) -
- The Lord spoke directly to him in Genesis 12:1 - The LORD had said to Abram, "Leave your country, your people and your father's household and go to the land I will show you." A direct voice from God.

Noah -
- God asked him to build an ark, when Noah hadn't even seen a drop of rain. But... Genesis 6:22 - "Noah did everything, just as God commanded him."

Joshua -
- Joshua 6:3-5 - "March around the city once with all the armed men. Do this for six days. Have seven priests carry trumpets of rams' horns in front of the ark. On the seventh day, march around the city seven times, with the priests blowing the trumpets. When you hear them sound a long blast on the trumpets, have all the people give a loud shout; then the wall of the city will collapse and the people will go up, every man straight in."

As I sat there, I thought of all of the things that I have heard God ask me to do. All of them seemed small to me. All of it seemed so weird, so non-important to my life. I would always justify it in my head, "whatever man, they're scary and they probably don't need a ride anywhere." or "I need this money right now. How am I gonna pay for food?" (meanwhile I'm wasting my money at the movies or spending it on something useless) So as I analyzed my disobedience to God, I realized that what God asked of me seemed small, weird, crazy, and pointless. And then I tuned back into what Pastor Jim was saying and I heard, "God's asking them to do something bigger than them."

Oh boy. How selfish am I? Why did I think it had anything to do with me?! God was using me, but I kept asking what I would get out of it. Well Geren, IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH YOU!!! Oh... right.

Sometimes I feel like I'm "doing a good job" as a Christian, which isn't necessarily right or wrong, but then there are times like these. All you want to do is run and hide. And I feel even worse because I realize that I have been choosing where and how God wants to use me. One of my favorite quotes I heard from Jonathan Falwell says "It's not about your abilities, it's about your availability." It's like when we fill out a job application and we tell them what our schedule is like. Are we giving God a schedule? Or are we giving God our life? Are we being "living sacrifices" when we want to be? When it's convenient? I know that's something I struggle with.

So I challenge you like I was challenged today. Don't be selective like me. I don't just want to be used by running track. I want to be used by God; wherever He takes me. And remember, it's not about you and me. It's about glorifying God!!!

When you hear God, whether it seems small or weird, think about these men and women mentioned above. Noah; building an ark when they practically live in a desert. Joshua; marching around the city walls with trumpets and an army. They sound weird, but they realized something that I've been missing. It's not about them. It's bigger than them. It's bigger than us.

Lord, help me listen to you. Help me to obey when you call. I want to be available. I want you to have faith in me, that I will have faith in you to obey. God help me. I love you, now help me show it.