Great and Mighty Things for God

Mary – was just a girl, most likely a young teen, in fact.  She had no spectacular super powers. She was just an ordinary every day person who God choose to bring His son to earth.  

Madonna and Child by Raphael

Throughout the Bible we see that God used ordinary, everyday people to do extraordinary things for Him.

Gideon was just a farmer and David was just a shepherd. Peter was just a fisherman and Paul just a tent maker.

Shepherd with Staff and Flute - Rembrandt

I’m just a wife and mom.

Now you probably think I’m going to blog about how you can do extra-ordinary things for God. You can. I’ve never had a hard time believing this. This lesson has always been an easy one for me. I’ve never “saint - ified” Bible people or looked at them like super heroes. I’ve not only believed that God can use Elijah to call fire from the sky – but I believe that he can use me to do the same.

Most the time when teachers teach this lesson, they apply it to our lives by saying, “You just have to be willing. Be ready to say yes to God, no matter what He calls you to do.”

Yes, Lord, I’m willing.

Yes, Lord, I’m willing.

Yes, Lord, I’m willing.

YES, LORD, I’M WILLING.

Why isn’t He using me to do great and mighty things for Him? I trust in Him. I know He can use me to do mighty things. To affect millions. I am ready and willing. Use me.

I’ve been kind of discontent lately with what I am doing for God. I just don’t think I’m serving where I’m supposed to be serving. I think God wants me to do something bigger, and better – I just don’t know what.

I’m preparing my heart for the next phase of my life. I am in the Word. I am daily communicating with God. 

But I still wait.

I expect to be hearing from God at any moment that He wants me to do something big and mighty for Him. I could move mountains with my faith, but someone in Texas has already done that. Thoughts pop into my head as I shower; I think God wants me to be the next Beth Moore. She really has nothing up on me, you know – I can do everything she does. Don’t take this the wrong way - if you’re a Beth Moore hero worshiper – I’m just meaning I write Bible Studies, I teach, I speak. I love the Lord – just like she does. She just wears bigger jewelry than me. I pray, “Is this you want me to do, Lord? Is this what you’re preparing me for?”

Still waiting.

I’ve ALWAYS believed God would use me to do great things for Him. But I’m not. He hasn’t asked me to. Or has He?

This was a might revolution for me: Maybe he hasn’t asked me to be a Billy Graham, but a Mr. Williams, a man who taught 6^th Grade Sunday School for 25 years and affected hundreds of students over the years.

Maybe the “great and mighty” thing God wants me to do is not to save and entire nation, like Esther, or save the poor in Calcutta, like Mother Theresa.

Queen Esther by Edwin Longsden Long

Maybe the “great and mighty” thing God wants me to do is to live my life out daily for Him.

For me, to love the Lord with my heart, mind, soul and strength, and love others as myself, means:

I hold a screaming toddler in my arms at 3:00 am.

I have teens and young men and woman coming in and out
of my house at all hours of the day and night

I spend hours with my son comparing the world’s philosophy with God’s theology – so that He can face the world with a Biblical worldview.

I invite a homeless family to live with us.

I have lunch with a friend

I loan my car to someone who needs it more than I do.

I teach my students how to think.

I scrub permanent marker off of my walls.

I drive my son all over Fort Worth to develop the gifts and talents God has given him.

I stay married - for better and worse

I’m not trying to toot my own horn by saying these are “great and mighty” things for God. It is truly a revolutionary idea for me, and I’m excited about it. These ARE the “great and mighty” things God has asked me to do, and I said “yes.”

God has been telling me that living my life, day in and day out, for His glory, is a great and mighty thing. God isn’t asking me to wait around for something bigger and better to do for Him. He is asking me to live every day and every moment for Him and to realize that for now, changing diapers and cleaning up after six or eight teens is what He is calling me to do.