Stretch or be Stretched

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Have you ever noticed that when you feel you’re at the end of the line (no energy, drugstore no mental capacity, frustrated to the “T”, etc.) that God is always right by your side? He never seizes to amaze me. I am frequently burnt out and yet more frequently on top of the world following after my lord, my savior, my teacher……

As you may have read some of our blogs concerning our adventures in missions, we have been stretched. Every part of ministry can have an exhausting emotional and/or physical drain on people. We have worked with Kid’s Camps, VBS, Construction and Evangelism Teams, churches… and have felt exhilarated and exhausted with each one. Pouring out oneself whole heartedly into ministry should have that affect. Why do we do it? Why would anyone put themselves through a rollercoaster of emotions again and again? The other option would be to remain a surface level minister, a minister with an arms length from the people. Sure that allows a little protection, but it allows walls to be put up. I don’t recall seeing any books on building up walls as being a good thing, except in my engineering books. God wants the walls torn down so there is nothing between him and his people. In a culture of NO personal space, walls would render a person useless. God calls each one of us to be stretched, to embrace the ministry that God has placed before us. Is a missionary greater than anyone else? God has called missionaries to certain parts of the world, pastors to reach their cities, Sunday school teachers to teach, business people to minister to their colleagues…… We all serve an important part in obeying the call of God. Only you and God know if you are obeying God’s call for your life. I tried for many years to resist God’s call. I argued, bargained with, and even tried to ignore God. Why God would call me to missions I can only hope to one day fully understand. I am learning a bit each day but to totally understand God is beyond my earthly body’s ability.

The reason I’m writing this blog is not about the call, but about obeying the call. If God asks you to walk out your front door, do you first sneak around the back of your house to peak at the front? You may decide not to answer or even ask “Who is it?” and ask God “WHY?” If you are asking why, then you are trying to peak at what is in front of the door. The most important part of our walk with God is FAITH. So, why don’t we exercise that faith? Why do we doubt God? He created us! He died for us! He conquered death so that we can be together with him for eternity! If he has already done that, can’t we walk out the front door? By using our faith we are stretching and by stretching our faith it will grow.

Step 1: Obey the call!

1 Samuel 3:1-21

Step 2: Stretch your faith!

Acts 9:1-19

God called Saul and stretched Ananias.

God stretch me. Allow me to walk in your grace, to seek after the calling you have for me. Please continue to call out to me and allow me to obey your will.

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