Once there was a great flood in small Midwest town. Houses were washing away right and left. And a man climbed on his roof and was praying to God out loud over and over again, saying— “God, please save me”.
Then a man in a rowboat came by and said, “Jump in before the water washes away the house and you die”. But the man sitting on the roof said, “No, it’s OK, I’m praying to God and He will save me”. And again, the man prayed out loud “God, please save me”.
Then a very large search and rescue boat come along and the coastguard crew threw the man a life preserver and said “Swim over to the boat” and the man on the roof said, “No, it’s OK, I’m praying to God and He will save me”. And the man sitting on the roof went back to praying out loud “God, please save me”.
Then a rescue helicopter came by and lowered a sling and they yelled down. “Climb in and we will pull you up”. And again, the man said “No, it’s OK, I’m praying to God and He will save me”— so they left.
And then the rains started to pour down in buckets and the winds whipped wildly and the man on the roof prayed out loud again “God, please save me”. And God answered back with a booming voice saying “Well, I first sent a rowboat and you refused to get in, then a sent a larger boat and you refused a second time, and then I sent a helicopter and you refused to climb in! And the man said, “But I wanted You to Save Me” and God said, “I came three times but you refused every single time— you would not listen to Me”. And right then the water washed the house away but God plucked the man up and set him down on another rooftop and said, “Let us do this again”.
(unknown author)
Have you ever found yourself praying to God asking Him to reveal your purpose? Asking Him to show you what you were divinely created to do for Him? Day after day, year after year, you wait and always in your prayers, you ask, “God, show me my purpose…. what can I do for you? Please Lord, use me!” And yet, in these same days and years of waiting, you don’t eagerly find a church to fellowship with, you don’t spend time reading the Bible, you don’t share your God-given resources with others, you don’t volunteer at the local soup kitchen, you don’t take time to visit the sick, the elderly, or the local prisons. I have been there too. We continue to ask Him to show us what we can do for Him and yet fail to realize that the work of the Lord is around us, in front of us and is plentiful. Per the website, Joshuaproject.net, there are still 3.37 billion people on this earth that are not followers of Christ. (people that are currently unreached)
The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest - Matthew 9:37-38 NKJV
We are laborers together with God. 1 Corinthians 3:9 NKJV
You may have heard the saying, don’t put off for tomorrow, what you can do today. What God desires most is for us to spend time with Him, be still, and listen. He is looking for a, “YES” attitude. He wants you to say, “YES” today and not put it off for tomorrow.
As long as it is day, we must do the work of Him who sent me. Night is coming when no one can work. – John 9:4 NIV
You may be filled with fear, doubt, or inadequacies. You may be afraid to take the risk of saying “YES” because of time restrictions, money limitations, and/or perceived lack of talent. Be confident that He will not send us out unequipped. In the book Matthew and Ezra, we are reminded:
All authority in heaven and earth has been given to me. Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations…… and surely I am with you always, to the very end of age! –
Matthew 28:18-20 NIV
Rise up; this matter is in your hands. We will support you, so take courage and do it. —
Ezra 10:4 NIV
I encourage you to have faith and not keep waiting for the most opportune time; for that time is already here. Be attentive to what comes your way and be open to the possibilities of what God has put in front of you. What you may be praying for, seeking, and desire, may very well be on your doorstep. You will miss the opportunity if you keep telling yourself….. “No, I’ll wait, God is going to show me what I need to do.”
Through God’s Grace, blessings, love and prayers,
Grace