Sunday, September 6, 2020

"Getting the Message"

 

“Getting the Message”

 

One of our Florida Sunday School teachers (now with the Lord) shared about stopping at a convenience store for gas. While he was filling up two motorcyclists pulled up to the next pump. He felt God was telling him to speak to the bikers but he didn’t do it. So God told him a second time and he did nothing except get back into his pick-up. As he was preparing to drive away he heard God’s voice clearly: “I’m not going to tell you again to speak to those men!” He got the message, climbed out of his vehicle and had a good conversation in which he was able to share his faith. He never knew the result (that was in God’s hands) but he learned the value of obeying a summons from God.

I can think of at least three people in Scripture to whom God had to tell something three times. (There’s one to whom He had to give His instructions five times before he obeyed—his name is Moses and you can read his story in Exodus 3-4.) Samuel was just a boy when God called him and with Eli’s help he answered after the third time, “Speak, for your servant is listening.” (1 Samuel 3:10). Peter didn’t fully understand what he’d done until after his third denial of knowing Jesus and when he remembered His prediction that he’d do this “…he went outside and wept bitterly.” (Matthew 26:75). Later the Lord had to repeat a vision to him that the gospel was for the Gentiles as well as the Jews three times before he said, “I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism….” (Acts 10:34—read the entire chapter to see the full account). And Paul three times asked for his thorn in the flesh to be removed before hearing Jesus say, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” (2 Corinthians 12:9) and was assured that God’s strength would carry him through his struggle.

These incidents show a question I must ask myself: How many times does God have to speak before I get and heed His message? May I be like Peter and Andrew and James and John who “…at once…without delay….” followed Jesus when He called them (Mark 1:17-20). And may I answer David’s (and God’s) question, “Who is willing to consecrate himself today to the Lord?” (1 Chronicles 29:5, emphasis added) with, “Here am I. Send me!” (Isaiah 6:8).

 

Grace and Blessings!


Jim McMillan


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