Who’s life is it anyway?


We find something very interesting following Markos’ account of Yeshua’ busy day. Markos observes that “. . . in the morning, a great while before day, he rose and went out to a lonely place, and there he prayed” (Mark 1:35).
Here is the secret of Yeshua’s life and work for God: he prayerfully waited for his father’s instructions and for the strength to follow them. Yeshua had no divinely-drawn blueprint; he discerned the father’s will day by day in a life of prayer. By this means he warded off the urgent and accomplished the important.

We may wonder why our lord’s ministry was so short, why it could not have lasted another five or ten years, why so many wretched sufferers were left in their misery. Scripture gives no answer to these questions, and we leave them in the mystery of God’s purposes. But we do know that Yeshua’s prayerful waiting for God’s instructions freed him from the tyranny of the urgent. It gave him a sense of direction, set a steady pace, and enabled him to do every task God assigned. And on the last night he could say, “I have finished the work which you gave me to do.”
 
·      How much time do you spend asking God for direction, and asking him to set your priorities, and to give you instructions on what to do?
 
 
 
 
Read John 5:16-21
 
·      What does the son do?
 

 
Sadly most churches do not even approach their ministry this way. Most churches start ministries because they see a “need” or because “we have always had Sunday School” or for whatever “logical” reason. And then we ask God to join us in our ministry and to bless it.

But the Biblical way, is for us to look to see what the father is doing in our communities and for us to join him in his work.
 
·      What do you see the father doing in your community?
 
 
 
·      What are you doing that you don’t see the father doing? (And how’s it going?)
 
 
 
Read Romans 12:4-8
 
We are all different parts of the body of Christ. We all have different jobs to do and God directs the entire body. We are in fact literally God’s hands and feet reaching out to impact the world.

 

Read Exodus 4:1-17
 
·      Who did God pick for the task of speaking to Pharaoh? What did God do when Moses declined the position?



·      How did God feel about that? Did this foil God’s plan for his people?
 
 
 
·      Here’s an interesting thing though: what was Moses’ reason for not wanting to do it?
 


Read Acts 7:22

·      How is Moses’ reason looking now?

 
 
If God really needs it done and you can’t/won’t do it then obviously he will call someone else to do it. God’s plan will succeed. But your opportunity has gone.
 
But to make it more complicated, you are only responsible for your bit, not everyone else’s. In fact, if God wasn’t intending for you to do a particular task, and you step in and do it anyway, then you have robbed the person that God was going to use, of the joy of doing what God has called them to do. And of course if you’re busy doing that task then you’re not doing the one which God did have planned for you that day.
 
Each of us must do our part, but we must also recognize that we must do only our part.
 
·      What part of the body do you think you are?
 

 
·      What sorts of things does that make you responsible for?

 
 
·      What things does it make “none of your business”?

 
 
 
God has picked you for his team. These days in the West it’s fairly unlikely that he wants you to die for him, but for sure he wants you to live for him.
 
Read Rom 12:1-2
 
·      How well do you think you rate as far as living for God’s priorities. Are you a living sacrifice?
 
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
 
 

Only God sees the big picture. We need to be aware of God’s priorities, and adjust our own priorities to match his.
 
God has chosen you for particular tasks. Say “no” to all the others – either delegate them or just simply leave them undone. Even if it “seems” wrong. Even if people put pressure on you. Ultimately you are here to serve God, not other people, and not yourself. And you are there to do the tasks he has assigned to you.
 

 
A final thought:
 
·      If you’re still alive, that must mean that God still has things he wants you to do. What do you think they are? What is one thing you should have done for God that you haven’t done yet?
 
 
 

Go and do it.