1 Chronicles 12
What a picture of the power of a nation united for the purpose of God! Just as God had said, the people came together to make David king, and there were representatives from every tribe—even the tribe whose own member, Saul, was being deposed because he had turned from following God.
What a promising beginning!
David’s reign began with humility. In fact, he may have been one of the most reluctant kings ever to reign. He ignored multiple opportunities to take Saul’s life and even when Saul died in battle, he neither seized the throne God had promised, nor rejoiced in the passing of a king who had tried many times to kill him. It was seven years after Saul’s death before the people joined together to make him king, even though Samuel had anointed him king much earlier.
When God has called us to something, do we try to help Him bring it to pass? Or do we resist the calling and stubbornly refuse to take of the reigns He’s given?
It’s a delicate balance. On the one hand, we may fall victim to pride and selfishness if we view His calling as being in any way dependent on us. On the other hand, if we resist what God has proclaimed, we are being disobedient.
What if the faithful middle ground is to praise God for the calling He’s given and obey each step He puts before us, trusting Him to prepare the next step and urge us on when it is time?
I think of those called to the mission field—there is so much preparation needed! We can get impatient and want to hit the ground running, but heaven forbid we race in like a bull, doing more harm than good in our zeal! Humility and an understanding that only God can bring people to faith helps us wait patiently, but willingly, for Him to develop in us all that is needed to accomplish His purposes.
What about those called to write? We hear the calling—we know God has given us words that He desires to be shared with the world. But what if we race ahead of His process and neglect the editing that is needed? What if we fail to polish them, to research the theology behind them, and to consider the impact they may have? What if in our zeal to say something, anything, we say the wrong thing?
We all have a calling from the Lord. We all have a purpose for being, and if we are still here, we haven’t yet completed our journey. How do you discern when to race ahead and when to allow God to push you reluctantly forward?
What a picture of the power of a nation united for the purpose of God! Just as God had said, the people came together to make David king, and there were representatives from every tribe—even the tribe whose own member, Saul, was being deposed because he had turned from following God.
What a promising beginning!
David’s reign began with humility. In fact, he may have been one of the most reluctant kings ever to reign. He ignored multiple opportunities to take Saul’s life and even when Saul died in battle, he neither seized the throne God had promised, nor rejoiced in the passing of a king who had tried many times to kill him. It was seven years after Saul’s death before the people joined together to make him king, even though Samuel had anointed him king much earlier.
When God has called us to something, do we try to help Him bring it to pass? Or do we resist the calling and stubbornly refuse to take of the reigns He’s given?
It’s a delicate balance. On the one hand, we may fall victim to pride and selfishness if we view His calling as being in any way dependent on us. On the other hand, if we resist what God has proclaimed, we are being disobedient.
What if the faithful middle ground is to praise God for the calling He’s given and obey each step He puts before us, trusting Him to prepare the next step and urge us on when it is time?
I think of those called to the mission field—there is so much preparation needed! We can get impatient and want to hit the ground running, but heaven forbid we race in like a bull, doing more harm than good in our zeal! Humility and an understanding that only God can bring people to faith helps us wait patiently, but willingly, for Him to develop in us all that is needed to accomplish His purposes.
What about those called to write? We hear the calling—we know God has given us words that He desires to be shared with the world. But what if we race ahead of His process and neglect the editing that is needed? What if we fail to polish them, to research the theology behind them, and to consider the impact they may have? What if in our zeal to say something, anything, we say the wrong thing?
We all have a calling from the Lord. We all have a purpose for being, and if we are still here, we haven’t yet completed our journey. How do you discern when to race ahead and when to allow God to push you reluctantly forward?
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