I think many wonder what they can do for God? After all, we can’t change people and God is the great and powerful and able One. We may feel like the small cub in the picture- essentially powerless or inadequate to help, but God – like the cub’s mama – is always with us to help and protect. God chooses us to work with Him- imperfect or inadequate as we may be.
I find the ones Jesus chose to be a motley crew. James and John were the ‘sons of thunder’ -having tempers it seems (Mark 3.17), Peter denied Him (John 18.27), Paul was Saul and was a murderer (Acts 7.58), Thomas doubted (John 20.27), David had an affair and was a murderer, (2 Samuel 11), Jonah ran from God (Jonah 1.3), Gideon required a sign from God, (Judges 6.36) and on and on the list goes. I think they are included to let us know we are not alone when it comes to imperfection. (We need to keep trying though.)
I once told God I was not strong. He said He did not come for strong people. I said I was not well. He said He did not come for well people. I said I was not even good. He said the story is not about me. I smile as I write this, because the story truly is about Him and not me. 2 Corinthians 4.7 reminds me- we possess this Precious Treasure – the Good News of Jesus- in our frail selves, so that the greatness can be seen to be from God, and not ourselves.
John 21 tells that after Jesus was crucified, buried, and rose from the dead 3 days later- just like He told His followers – His disciples went back fishing. What were they thinking? I can only assume that they felt the One they loved and followed was now dead and gone and they had no life to live but the lives they knew before. Jesus didn’t hold this against them. They were His boys and He went to get them. I can see Him that day on the shore, making breakfast for them, inviting them to come– waving them in- my mind hears Him saying, ‘Come on boys, I’ll explain it one more time…”
In Matthew 28.16-20, the passage tells that after Jesus rose from the dead, He and the remaining eleven disciples went to the mountain where Jesus ascended to heaven. They fell down and worshiped Him, but ‘some doubted.’ How could they doubt? They walked with Him for three years watching Him turn water into wine, raise the dead, heal lepers, give blind men sight, feed thousands with a few loaves, saw Him alive after He was brutally crucified, and more.
I have no stones to throw. I have walked with Him for over forty years and have seen Him do more miracles than I can say, but, I am ashamed to admit, I still doubt. He still loves me. His love never fails.
His message is the same today. He still comes for us no matter how many times we think we cannot do something or that we miss the road or we think we are forgotten or got it all wrong. We are His. He loved that motley crew so many years ago and He still loves and uses imperfect, weak, doubting, people today. He wants us to do His work. He’s counting on us.
So, what can we do for God? We can give a cup of cold water in His name. (Matthew 10.42) We may not preach to millions and convert thousands, but we see people every day that need our smile, a pat on the back, a hug, listened to, time spent with, a few dollars for a meal, a ride somewhere, shopping for them. Yes, we can all give a ‘cup of cold of water.’ We can all do work for God every day as we help those in our lives. I may not be able to change the struggles my loved ones face, even though I desperately want them to be well, but I can help ease the suffering they feel each day and continue to love them.
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