God Needs More
Welcome to our first devotion of 2015! I trust the next few minutes will calibrate our spiritual compass for the upcoming year.
The idea for this devotion came from a dear pastor friend of ours. In conversation, he said, “We don’t necessarily need more of God…God just needs more of us!” Now this statement can take a minute to digest, but in reality, it could not be more true. Romans 12:1 says, “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.”
For those of us who have given our lives to Christ, we may feel that we have given Him everything. So what do I have that God needs?
More of my attention
A recent study found a potential link between attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and use of electronic devices. ADHD is a condition characterized by high levels of distraction, impulsiveness, an inability to remain still. Distraction?? Doesn’t this sound like the American culture (and maybe you)? We are living in a world of beeps, rings and flashing screens. All of us complain about responding to endless texts and emails, but admit it….we all love the beep! And with every beep from our electronic devices, our distracted mind only grows more distracted. And in the middle of it, God is saying, I need more of your attention. “Yes Lord,” we reply. “Oh wait! My phone is ringing.” Cell phones won’t be going away anytime soon, but there are two things that can be used to give God more of our time and attention. (Both are free, I might add). They are the power button and the mute button. My time of prayer and Bible reading used to be a pile of distractions, until I made the choice to turn my phone on silent. I came to realize that all of these distractions were forcing me into giving God my leftover attention. My friend, God doesn’t settle for leftovers!
More of my dreams
As a child, I always dreamed of being an airline pilot. I would read everything I could get my hands on concerning aviation. At an airport, I always admired the pilots as they strolled through the terminal, with their dark suits and hats. After that dream faded away, I decided that I wanted to be a software engineer. I had big plans for my future and even earned a degree in Computer Science.
But there came a time in my life when I realized that my dreams and God’s plans were not lining up together. The software field was consuming my mind and my energy. Through all of this, God showed me that a good thing is not necessarily the right thing. I knew that God had placed the call for ministry in my heart, as He did my family. When I finally stopped trying to make my own dreams come true, and gave them to God, I felt like a bird out of it’s cage! I am still actively involved with computer software, as a web developer, but thankfully I have learned to place my job in its proper perspective, with ministry being my number one priority. Hopes and dreams are similar to a lump of clay. We often try to mold them into our own designs. Oh! But when we give our dreams to the Master Potter, He can create a masterpiece that is so much better than we could ever imagine.
More of my worries
Speaking of dreams, I’ll make a confession. I am a chronic dreamer. (The 2:00am kind). A few months ago, I dreamed I was riding in a vehicle that was going off a steep hill. When I came to myself, I was standing in the middle of the bedroom. The bed was in disarray, I was sweating profusely, and my foot was bleeding from where I had kicked a nearby chair. (Yeah, go ahead and laugh but it wasn’t funny then.) I share this to make a point. Experts say that if you dream a lot…..you’re a worrier. I have never readily admitted that I’m a worrier. I’ve always told myself that I’m just the responsible type. But as I grow older, I’m starting to realize that worries are extremely deceptive. They make us feel like we’re being responsible, when all along, we’re just like a hamster on it’s wheel. Burning a lot of energy but going nowhere.
Statistics show that 80% of everything we worry about….never comes true. Today’s pharmaceutical companies have gotten rich off of worried, stressed out Americans. And sadly, a growing percentage of them are Christians. I’m reminded of the words in that old hymn: “Oh what peace we often forfeit, Oh what needless pain we bear. All because we do not carry, everything to God in prayer.”
In Closing
What is near and dear to you that needs to be given to God? Do you feel like you have given enough when those around you say, he/she is such a great person? Do you take the time to look up and ask, “Lord what do you think of me?” Let me share a touching story with you in closing…
A young man once studied under a world renowned violin master. Eventually, the time came for the student’s first recital. Following each selection, despite the cheers of the crowd, the performer seemed dissatisfied. Even after the last number when the applause was louder than ever, the talented violinist stood watching an old man in the balcony. Finally, the elderly man smiled and nodded in approval. Immediately, the young man relaxed and beamed with happiness. You see, the man in the balcony was his teacher, and thus the applause of the crowd had meant nothing to him, until he had first received the approval of his master.
Life is a stage and everyone is watching. But keep your eyes fixed on the Master in the balcony. Keep giving your all to Him, and one day, you will see Him smile and hear those words: Well Done.