GOD USES ORDINARY PEOPLE!

SCRIPTURE

Hebrews 11:17-22 (NRSV)
Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob act on faith

By faith Abraham, when put to the test, offered up Isaac. He who had received the promises was ready to offer up his only son, of whom he had been told, "It is through Isaac that descendants shall be named for you." He considered the fact that God is able even to raise someone from the dead - and figuratively speaking, he did receive him back. By faith Isaac invoked blessings for the future on Jacob and Esau. By faith Jacob, when dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, "bowing in worship over the top of his staff." By faith Joseph, at the end of his life, made mention of the exodus of the Israelites and gave instructions about his burial.


DEVOTION

Today’s Bible reading is all about the importance of faith. Hebrews 11:1 says that “faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen.”

In each of the examples mentioned today, someone did the extraordinary by faith.
Now you may be thinking, I can’t do anything extraordinary; I’m as ordinary as they come!

But, I want to give you a word of encouragement today. Our God specializes in using ordinary and obedient people to do extraordinary things!

Now, it may be true that we need to amend our definition of extraordinary. It seems to me that in order to reach our God given potential, many of us need to realize that we do—and witness--incredible acts of ministry (e.g., service) on an everyday basis, but simply ignore or take them for granted.

For example, it is an extraordinary ministry for a single Christian woman to get on her knees every night and pray—by faith—to do right by her children as she raises them alone. It is an extraordinary ministry for a school teacher to go into the classroom day after day—by faith—and believe that s/he has the ability to make a difference in the lives of the children no matter how poorly they behave. It is an extraordinary ministry when a small band of 35-50 people work together in the local church—by faith—serving the community with meager funds, but great big hearts.

No matter who we are, where we live, how much money we make, or what type of resources we have, we absolutely do have the ability to do extraordinary things for God—by faith—if we will but put all of our hope in Jesus.

Now, here’s the hard part my friends. Sometimes God does ask us walk by faith and not by sight. God will call us to enlarge our hopes and dreams reminding us to dream big, because we serve a big God!

One of my Facebook friends said that if we only aspire to things that are possible for us to accomplish by ourselves, we don’t need God. But, if we dream big and impossible dreams that only God could accomplish through us that requires faith!

I don’t know about you, but I want to live into a life of faith my friends! I want to dream such big and extraordinary dreams that the people around me laugh at my audacity. I want someone to tell me how impossible and improbable my dream is, and then I want to sit back and watch God prove them wrong.

When we allow God to be our dream weaver, we will get on one accord with Spirit. We will begin to pray, “Not my will, but Thy will be done.”

We will be willing to walk into the darkness, unable to see, but without fear, trusting that our good God will safely shepherd us home. And as we journey, we will be compelled to share the love, joy, and peace of Spirit everywhere we go and in Jesus’ Name!

Dear ones, it is time to stop living beneath our God-given potential and destiny. Remember, without faith it is impossible to please God!

What dream will you entrust to God by faith today? Let us pray…

Holy God, I know that I can do great things, because you are a great God! Help me to be unafraid to trust Your vision for my life and ministry to others. Please forgive me of my sin and fill me with the Holy Spirit so that I will be able to walk by faith and not by sight as I do Your will on Earth until you come from Heaven. I believe—by faith—that you love me and gave Jesus to die to save me from my sin and gift me with eternal life. It is wonderful good news that he did not stay dead, but was resurrected just as He promised! I want to share this good news with others all the days of my life. Please help me to do just that in Jesus’ Name, Amen.