May He equip you with all you need for doing His will. May He produce in you, through the power of Jesus Christ, every good thing that is pleasing to Him.
(Hebrews 13:21 NLT)
So long as we are in line with God’s purpose
His work can go on in us. What matters is not first of all our activity. God is
more concerned with what is done in us than what we do for Him. He often reaches
His end with us much better when we are in a state of inactivity than in times
of much work. The hand of the Potter was upon Moses when he was in the
wilderness where he could not do much. During forty years he was just looking
after a few sheep. That is not very grand. No doubt he wondered sometimes to
what purpose he was there, whether his life had any value. But principalities
and powers saw something and wondered at God’s wisdom. God knew how to equip
this man, how to get His way in that life. That is true in the case of many a
servant of God. God is working for good, He is shaping His vessel. There is
wisdom in all His dealings with us. But we have to see to it that we have no
plans or personal ambitions of our own. The clay has to be completely in His
hands. If we are really here for God, we can be assured that He will reach His
end, that He may work out His purpose in us. And there we shall find strength.
Are you sure you are in the great purpose of
God? Everybody has some part in it. Paul, when speaking of the church,
illustrates it thus: “that all the body is fitly framed and knit together
through that which every joint supplies.” No part of the body is without
function. Each and every one has to be in God’s purpose. Some parts may be very
small, they nevertheless are equally important. We have to remember that God has
called us for a purpose which will be realized as we abandon ourselves to Him.
Whatever it may be to which He has called us, let us be ready and do it. A Holy
Spirit possessed life is always marked by purpose. Nothing can be lost in such a
life; let us not believe in mere generalities. That is not good enough. There is
something far more definite in God’s thoughts for our lives. Let us abandon all
personal desires, and be filled with the Spirit of urgency – “straight away.”
Those who know that they are called of God, and who definitely recognize the
purpose of their life, will be wholly given up to it. Such no longer have any
interest for the things of this earth. They have no time to lose. They must buy
up their time.