 |
oses stuttered. |
 |
avid's armor didn't fit. |
 |
ohn Mark was rejected by Paul. |
 |
imothy had ulcers. |
 |
osea's wife was a prostitute. |
 |
mos' only training was in the school of fig-tree pruning. |
|
acob was a liar. |
|
avid had an affair. |
 |
olomon was too rich. |
|
esus was too poor. |
|
braham was too old. |
|
avid was too young. |
 |
eter was afraid of death. |
 |
azarus was dead. |
|
ohn was self-righteous. |
 |
aomi was a widow. |
|
aul was a murderer. |
|
o was Moses. |
|
onah ran from God. |
|
iriam was a gossip. |
 |
ideon and Thomas both doubted. |
|
eremiah was a bull frog (just kidding)... was depressed and suicidal. |
 |
lijah was burned out. |
|
ohn the Baptist was a loudmouth. |
|
artha was a worrywart. |
|
ary was lazy. |
|
amson had long hair. |
|
oah got drunk. |
|
id I mention that Moses had a short fuse? |
|
o did Peter, Paul...well, lots of folks did. |
But God doesn't require a job interview. God doesn't hire and fire like most bosses, because God is more our Dad than our Boss. God doesn't look at financial gain or loss. God is not prejudiced or partial, not judging, grudging, sassy, or brassy, not deaf to our cry, not blind to our need. As much as we try, God's gifts are free. We could do wonderful things for wonderful people and still not be... Wonderful.
Satan says "You're not worthy."
Jesus says, "So what? I AM."
Satan looks back and sees our mistakes. God looks back and sees the cross. God doesn't calculate what you did in 1985. It's not even on the record. Sure. There are lots of reasons why God shouldn't have called us. But if we are totally in love with God, if we hunger for God more than our next breath, God will use us in spite of who we are, where we've been, or what we look like.
I pray that as Christians, we will step out of our limitations into the unlimited nature of who God is. Then our passion for God and our passion to communicate God's will, will make mincemeat of our limitations.
Original image credit: 18th Century Textile Paintings, Flowers and a Small Apple, Haussmann workrooms, 1797
Date: June 18, 2000