Restore my peace, God

I must calm down and turn to God; only he can rescue me. He is my Rock, the only one who can save me. He is my high place of safety, where no army can defeat me. (Psalm 62:1-2)

We have talked many times about the protection of God, but I would like us to focus today on what our psalmist reminds us here: WE must calm down and WE must turn to God. When all is spinning like what seems to be 'out of control', we can never forget that God controls what we cannot see, hear, or even imagine with our finite minds. It is our responsibility to trust - plain and simple.

Sometimes we need to be reminded to just settle down, refocus, and listen. To calm oneself down is an art form, especially when turmoil of all manner keeps coming your way. You might 'want' to calm down, but the things that keep happening just seem to take their toll on your emotions. You find yourself spiraling out of control faster than you thought you would, all because your emotions were perceived quicker than your faith was!

To truly calm down, one must turn to God - in other words, we have to get our eyes off of what is spinning out of control and focus on who still remains in control. This might mean we stop the 'madness' of the moment in spite of feeling all the tremendous pressure to just keep on going. Remember this - God never works in the frenzy - he isn't a God of chaos. He works in the littlest ways, the stillest moments, and the quieted hearts!

Satan wants us to continue in the frenzy - God tells us to calm down. Satan is never happier than when our focus is the stuff that gets us all anxious - God is happiest when we nuzzle up to him and allow him to show us how this storm is to be conquered. We might turn to God, seeking his help to actually 'calm down', but we must be the ones to admit we are spinning out of control. We need to recognize our peace has been disturbed and take the steps to see it restored. Just sayin!

But...we know him

Can all your worries add a single moment to your life? “And why worry about your clothing? Look at the lilies of the field and how they grow. They don’t work or make their clothing, yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith? “So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’ These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need. (Matthew 6:27-33)

Changes come and changes go. We cannot control them, nor can we escape them. To worry over them is simply not productive. Jesus says this type of "worrying" or "creation of emotional chaos" in our lives because of the frequency or consistency of change is what those who don't know him engage in. It isn't to be the "mode of operation" for those of us who are all a part of his family. When our focus is centered correctly on "who" gets us through the present change rather than the change itself, we find this perspective keeps the "emotional chaos" at bay. Only then will our intentional actions that allow us to navigate through the changes we are facing become ordered, productive, and on-target. 

It isn't always our responsibility or even within our ability to control the change, nor is it to be the change which controls us. We are to bring the change to God, allow him to set the course, then settle into the course he has us on. In the end, we find as long as we remain set on observing his "navigational instruction" in our lives, we don't have the overwhelming chaos in the midst of change. We might have a little "turmoil" because change suggests the old is being purged and the new is coming into focus, but this is a good kind of turmoil - nothing to worry over.

What gets our clothes clean in the washing machine? Isn't it the turmoil of tumbling over each other and the friction caused by the changing of the cycles within that machine? Without this action, the resulting effect of "being in the washer" would be of no value. Clean and ready clothes are a result of the action and the "agents" within the washer. Water, soap, and the action of the spinning or agitating tub are essential. So, not all types of turmoil are bad - sometimes they help create the "friction" we need to get us to a new level of "cleanliness" or "readiness" in life. The turmoil is "helped along" to do the work it needs to do when God adds in a little of his living water and a lot of his cleansing power! Just sayin!

Positive Change

May God who gives patience, steadiness, and encouragement help you to live in complete harmony with each other—each with the attitude of Christ toward the other. And then all of us can praise the Lord together with one voice, giving glory to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. (Romans 15:5-6)

Harmony is not achieved by our own merits, for no set of humans actually 'live in harmony' with another set of humans without some form of conflict from time to time. As long as atoms keep crashing together, there will be some form of conflict, BUT...God can bring patience where conflict seems to abound, steadiness where the foundation has begun to crumble, and tremendous encouragement to keep moving toward agreement and peace. 

How is complete harmony ever going to happen? Those who have embraced Christ as their Lord and Savior will be at the forefront of peaceful actions. They will bring a steadfastness into the most difficult of circumstances - a peace and assurance that stands when all else is crumbling in around them. What will this peace and assurance serve to do when chaos abounds? It brings encouragement that there is a way out of the hardness of the moment.

Where does harmony begin? It begins within our own heart first, then it begins to affect those around us. Are you are harmony with God? What does a heart in harmony with God look like? If you are making choices that are in accord with the truths he lays out in scripture, you are on the right path. If you have a desire to see his will done more than your own, you are on the right course. In other words, our actions begin to reflect less of a 'me, me, me' attitude and more of a 'whatever your will is, Lord' purpose.

Some would believe harmony is the absence of chaos entirely, but we grow best within a certain amount of chaos. Harmony is merely a 'congruence' of the parts - not that all parts are the same, but that they 'fit' and 'work' together. Harmony is going to be the place where we see 'conflict' and 'chaos' leading us onward to what is true and lasting positive change. The challenge is there, but we must not bow to the desire to let it defeat God's desire to see patience, steadiness, and encouragement developed within our hearts. Just sayin!

Sit back and marvel

 Meanwhile, the moment we get tired in the waiting, God’s Spirit is right alongside helping us along. If we don’t know how or what to pray, it doesn’t matter. He does our praying in and for us, making prayer out of our wordless sighs, our aching groans. He knows us far better than we know ourselves, knows our pregnant condition, and keeps us present before God. That’s why we can be so sure that every detail in our lives of love for God is worked into something good. (Romans 8:28)

There have been moments when I just didn't know what to say to God - unsure of what really was going on inside of my mind and emotions, just needing to get out those feelings, but really not sure how to put them into words. How about you? Do you ever experience those moments when there is an overwhelming sense of heaviness within, but you cannot really express it in words? I am so glad God can understand our sighs, groans, and even our silence. He knows our heart better than we do, but he also understands the mixed-up muddle of emotions that can occur at times. The more mixed-up we are about the things, the more we need to lean into God for his perspective and a fresh infilling of his peace.

Every detail is worked into our lives for some manner of good. I had a hard time understanding how 'bad stuff' could actually be turned into something I would benefit from in the long run. Yet, over the years, I have seen God take the various 'bad moments' and bring some element of growth within me that wasn't previously there. I guess this is what he means when he promises to bring good from the bad. It doesn't mean we won't face the hard stuff in life - it just means we don't face it alone and we don't face it without a purpose. We might be in a place of despair, but he remains in a place of control.

I live in a home that is over thirty years old now, so as each year passes, I try to do something 'big' to improve it and keep it in tip-top shape. One year I replaced the roof and central air. The Arizona sun means the outside needs painting from time to time. The inside needed a fresh coat of paint, so that was another year's project. The bathrooms needed a refresh and now the flooring is being redone. These projects come at a cost - financially, physically, and emotionally. I don't like to live in chaos - I like order (no...I am not OCD, I just like the comfort of things being settled). 

I think our minds are a little like these 'big projects' around the house. There is a cost that comes with all the emotional turmoil we face in those hard times. Our minds get all muddled-up, emotions riding high one day and down the next. Our thoughts can be carried away like a feather on the wind. Our bodies feeling the tension of the season we are in. There is no better time to take things to God than when we are experiencing those moments. We may not even have one clue what to ask for, but he knows exactly how to take the chaos of our present and create something so beautiful within us. Just like when the floors are all done, we will step back, sitting in peaceful repose, and marvel at what he has done. Just sayin!

The good worked in is about to become the good worked out

Meanwhile, the moment we get tired in the waiting, God’s Spirit is right alongside helping us along. If we don’t know how or what to pray, it doesn’t matter. He does our praying in and for us, making prayer out of our wordless sighs, our aching groans. He knows us far better than we know ourselves, knows our pregnant condition, and keeps us present before God. That’s why we can be so sure that every detail in our lives of love for God is worked into something good. (Romans 8:28)

If you are anything like me, you get a little tired not knowing what God is doing, why it is taking so long, how he plans to take the next steps in your life, or if he is even paying attention. It is always good for me to recall this verse, reminding myself there is no distance between God and ME at this moment or at ANY moment in time. He is right there alongside and his 'role' is to help us along. That suggests to me there is always some action God is looking for from ME. It is usually some form of obedience or trust step. I have to do as he asks - he does as he promises. I have to lean in when I don't see the evidence - he does as the rest. 

Wordless sighs - do you ever 'utter' those types of prayers? I do a whole lot of the time. Usually it is because I am so confused by the circumstances, or overwhelmed by the speed at which things are happening, and I just 'utter' that deep sigh that clearly lets God know I am out of juice. I don't have the energy - spiritually, physically, or mentally to take on another thing. I find myself 'undone' and utterly at his mercy. Ever groan a little in those moments when you know something is about to break loose and you are standing right in the middle of it? I do! I know there is an avalanche of something coming my way and I am far from prepared to take it on.

It is indeed good news that God knows us better than we know ourselves. Every detail of our lives is ordered, worked out, perfectly orchestrated - even when it seems like the avalanche is coming, there is order about to come out of what seems like nothing more than a big load of chaos! Chew on that one for a moment - what looks like nothing good is really about to become the 'medium' by which God creates something good within us. Just as a potter has the 'medium' of clay from which he creates something that doesn't even remotely resemble the 'blob' of formless mess he starts out with, so God takes the 'mess' of our chaos and forms something beautiful in us.

Every detail is ordered. Don't miss that one - EVERY detail - not just the bigger stuff, but the tiniest and seemingly most 'insignificant' detail in that chaos is about to be used for something good. When something good is worked into our lives, do you know what comes next? We get to share that 'goodness of God' with others. The good worked in is about to become the good worked out. Just sayin!

Confusing Hard Annoying Oppressive Stuff = CHAOS

But as for me, I will sing about your power. Each morning I will sing with joy about your unfailing love. For you have been my refuge, a place of safety when I am in distress.(Psalm 59:16 NLT)

CHAOS: Confusing Hard Annoying Oppressive Stuff

Anyone have some of that going on in their lives today? You don't really know where it all is coming from - nor can you clearly see the purpose in it all. It is just "there" without warning - in your face - demanding to be dealt with. You might even be at the end of your rope and not really that enthused about dealing with even one more tiny annoying thing. You might even have been asking what "more" God could want or expect of you - because you don't think this "stuff" is "deserved", "necessary any longer", or "accomplishing" anything right now. The simple truth is that when CHAOS abounds - God's grace abounds in just the right proportion to "tip the scale" to the side of good!

Sometimes all we can do it "make it through" another day. We might even feel like making it through is going to require the remainder of resources we have available - either emotionally, physically, or spiritually. You may be right! The thing we don't realize is that God isn't after our resources as the answer to the issues at hand - he is after our trust. Where is it we will place our trust? Will it be in what we can "figure out" or "accomplish" with the minimal resources we have at our disposal? Or will it be in the limitless resources available when his grace is displayed in and through our lives?

Think about that one for just a moment. If you have just ten dollars left in the bank, would you pass up someone filling up your tank with gas who is trying to bless your life? If you had just two pieces of bread and a little peanut butter in the bottom of the jar, would you refuse prime rib, baked potato, and a salad? Why is it that we refuse to let go of what we see as our resources in order to embrace the limitless resources God provides? It may be we are so focused on the CHAOS that we cannot see his grace just behind us waiting to break through!

God isn't as concerned with whether we can stand up under the pressure of the stuff we are facing right now. He is concerned with where it is we are facing! His ultimate hope is that we will turn toward him - face him squarely - and keep our focus on him - not the CHAOS. It often doesn't take much to bring peace where there is confusion - it just depends on what it is we are beholding at the time. Just sayin!

But it is a fire, Jesus!

And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.  (Philippians 4:8 NLT)

In a time with so much negative input through media of all sorts, it is imperative that we not lose our perspective on just exactly who remains in control. It has never ceased to be Jesus - for he holds all things together by his word. It has never once veered from the course of justice - for his reign demands nothing else. We can get caught up in the hype of the moment, distracted by all the violence and protests, or we can redouble our efforts to remember God is able to turn the circumstances of even the worst imaginable conclusion into something no one ever expected. 

Don't believe me? I would only have to remind you of a very hot, fiery furnace of old, where four men were planned for their final fate. The day they stepped into the furnace, the fires were stoked to astronomical proportions. What should have consumed them actually didn't even scorch them! Why? God was in the midst of them and he never forgot that his purpose was something greater than anything they could possibly have imagined!

In terms of "getting through" what seems to not be heading in the right direction, I'd have to point us back to our passage today. In these times of confusion, chaos, and calamity - turn to what is true, honorable, right and pure. Refuse to see only the ugly and look deeply to find the lovely and admirable - it is there - we may just have to look for it in unexpected places! Life is lived well when we refuse to focus on what seems unlikely to change - for all change is a result of someone being willing to focus on what is true, brings honor, stands morally and spiritually right, and is pure through and through!

That chaos and calamity might be what you see around you in our country right now. It could also be what you see in the shambles of broken and disappointing relationships. It might even be the state of your financial condition, or the brokenness of your body as disease ravages it beyond what you believed possible. Regardless of our circumstantial "need", God is the one who brings us to center again. He is the one who restores balance - not through conventional means, but through the unconventional.

You see, God empties us before he fills us - otherwise we'd not have capacity. God opens us up to see what is broken before he shows us the way to our healing. He shows up in the circumstance, not as doubt or fear, but as truth and faith in the midst of the lapping flames of doubt and fear. He is revealed not in the chaos, but standing firm and true in the midst of it! As we walk steadily in the truth he reveals, we might see the flames closer than we'd really desire, but never forget he is in the midst of them - drawing us deeper into them, not away from them! Just sayin!

God's prayer

In the dumps:  A gloomy, melancholy state of mind; depression.  Do you ever find yourself “in the dumps”?  We refer to this almost as a “place” rather than a frame of reference referring to our attitude.  Yet, the origin of this phrase clearly points to a sense of deep melancholy.  There are a ton of synonyms:  down low, blue, sad, unhappy, low-spirited, discouraged, fed up, moody, pessimistic, glum, dejected, despondent, dispirited, downcast, morose, crestfallen, and downhearted.  Whew!  What a list!  If you really look at all of them, where do these words “focus” us?  Don’t they focus “us” on “us”?  When we say we are “unhappy”, isn’t it really us interpreting something in life as “making us” feel less than good about a situation?  When we say we are “discouraged”, aren’t we saying like we don’t feel like doing anything more to see the outcome change?  The fact is, being “in the dumps” is really something which WE have control over!

When my soul is in the dumps, I rehearse everything I know of you, from Jordan depths to Hermon heights, including Mount Mizar.  Chaos calls to chaos, to the tune of whitewater rapids.  Your breaking surf, your thundering breakers crash and crush me.  Then God promises to love me all day, sing songs all through the night!  My life is God’s prayer.  (Psalm 42:6-8 MSG)

David says something we don’t want to gloss over – when he is “in the dumps”, he takes control!  He begins to rehearse what he knows about God.  To rehearse is similar to watching re-runs.  You play the facts over and over again in your mind until your heart catches hold of them!  The idea is one of allowing the things we "know" about God to get into our spirit and to begin to lift us from the place of despair we have allowed our spirit to drift into.  

David also describes some how he "feels" when he finds himself "in the dumps".  It is more than just a state of mind - he feels it intensely in his body.  If you have ever been near whitewater rapids, you know how intensely loud this is.  You almost cannot hear anything else because the noise from the rush of the water is so great.  In the place of despair, melancholy, or depression, we often cannot hear over the "chaos" of the noise created by our own emotions!  We find there is a whole lot of "clutter" interfering with us hearing correctly.  

So, how do we deal with this "clutter" of "internal noise" which gets in the way of us hearing God?  David says we continue to rehearse what we know until those other "noise sources" and "crushing forces" begin to let up.  The truth is, when we focus on God and begin to rehearse his goodness in our lives, it is not long before some of the "noise" settles.  The source of that "noise" cannot stand in the presence of God for long - it has to submit to God's presence!

The most awesome part of this passage almost escaped me, though!  It is the very last statement:  My life is God's prayer.  Now, think on that a little with me.  Our life - complete with all its mess and muddle - is God's prayer.  I guess I never really thought about God praying, but then I had a moment of revelation.  Jesus prayed!  He interceded for us!  And he continues to do so to this day!  Jesus takes our needs before his Father.  We also have the other member of the Trinity praying for us, as well.  The Holy Spirits gives us the very words we utter, praying through us when we don't know how or what to pray - isn't this really a form of God praying?  

So, David asks himself why he chooses to stay "in the dumps" when he has all this going for him.  Sure, there is "noise" all around which only adds to the confusion of his low spot, but it is never louder than God's voice.  Yes, there is "chaos" abounding, confusing us and getting us to a place of feeling almost dispirited, but his Spirit is there lifting us out of the place we sink so easily into.  I wonder if we realize just how awesomely blessed we are to have God making us a matter of prayer?  Just askin!

The Circle of Quiet

^12-15 How blessed the man you train, God, the woman you instruct in your Word, providing a circle of quiet within the clamor of evil, while a jail is being built for the wicked. God will never walk away from his people, never desert his precious people.  Rest assured that justice is on its way and every good heart put right. 

(Psalm 94:12-15 The Message)

How blessed the man you train!  How blessed the woman you instruct in your Word!  Awesome words, huh?  Did you know that there are other words for "blessed" in our English vocabulary?  Namely, they are:  Consecrated, Sacred, Holy, Sanctified, Supremely Favored, and Blissfully Happy!  Wow!  Now that says a lot, doesn't it?  The one trained or instructed by God is really a pretty privileged individual!

As I sat in English class during my high school days, one of my most favorite things I learned to do was "diagram" a sentence.  My teacher would remind me that there is always a subject of the sentence, that a whole lot of other "matter" might be contained in that sentence, but it always has a subject!  The subject of our passage today is GOD!  Perhaps you missed that, so I thought I'd point it out to you!  

There is also a concept in constructing a sentence that is called "defining the condition".  In other words, a cause-and-effect relationship is laid out.  For example, "Bring me the remote, and I will change the channel."  The condition is that the remote needs to be in my hand before the channel can be changed.  The desired outcome of the cause-and-effect is that the channel gets to the one that we desire to watch.

Here we have it - the condition - "Be trained by God" and "Let his Word instruct you".  The outcome of the training and instructing - consecration, being made holy, growing in God's favor, and being blissfully content in his love!  To that, I can only shout, "Woohoo!"  Who does the training and instructing - this is the subject - GOD!  

Remember that I said that a sentence might contain other "matter" that gives structure to the sentence?  Well, here is some of that "other matter" that we should not miss from this passage:

- Those that are trained and instructed learn to enjoy the privilege of a "circle of quiet" in their lives!  Have you ever wondered why some people call the time they take to speak with God, enjoy time in his Word, and to praise him their "Quiet Time"?  Maybe the idea stems from this passage!  When all the rest of the world is caught up in the chaos of the "clamor of evil", we can nuzzle up to Jesus and enjoy the "circle of quiet" that his presence provides!

- God does not "walk away" from his people.  In a world filled with all kinds of "deserters", that is a good thing to know!  It does my heart good to realize that God actually pursues me when I am "walking away" from HIM!  Not too many would pursue someone who is fickle enough to turn their back on the best thing going!  Yet, in his intense love for us, he does!

- Justice is on its way!  We may not see it today, but there is a promised arrival!  With its arrival - the good will enjoy the privilege of being "put right". What could that mean?  I think God is reminding us that the picture may be bleak right now, but in the end, he is the one that makes his people shine!  

Just some thoughts for us to ponder today as we go about our busy schedules.  Don't forget to draw into that "circle of quiet" and really let him do the work of training and instructing that comes in those moments.  Those very moments may be what you will hold onto in the chaos of the hours ahead!

Yep, you've got chaos!

Every morning you'll hear me at it again.
   Every morning I lay out the pieces of my life on your altar
      and watch for fire to descend. 

(Psalm 5:2-3)

As I was waking up this morning, my radio was playing a song whose lyrics contained the words, "It feels like you are creating chaos in me".  The idea was that out of chaos, God brings good stuff.  The fact of the matter is that we all frequently feel this same way - like all that God is up to in us is chaos.  David was no exception.  He frequently conversed with God about the "stuff" that just seemed to surround him with all kinds of challenge, busy-work, and unknown outcomes.  This passage from the Psalms captures it best...Every morning you'll hear me at it again!

I think we might think God gets tired hearing about our lives.  After all, how many times does he need to hear that we are frustrated with our pain, or disappointed with the loss of our youthfulness?  How many times does he need to listen to the "stories" of our waywardness?  How often has he heard the same story of repentance, only to hear us at it again in a short matter of time?  The "chaos" just seems to keep coming - and we just seem to keep bringing it before God.  Why?  Because we can!

David was pretty revealing when he penned these words.  His very next statement really captures a beautiful picture for us - every morning I lay out the pieces of my life on your altar and watch for fire to descend.  First, he comes EVERY morning to God.  There is no fear in his heart that God will get tired of hearing from him!  Then, he lays it all out before God...holding nothing back.  That is how a sacrifice was prepared in Old Testament times - it was laid out for all the pieces to be seen.  Sometimes, we'd like to hold a little back, but it is in laying it all out that it is available for God to affect.

If that doesn't paint the picture, we need to see that it was in the laying of the pieces on the altar that David hoped for the changes he desired to occur.  Why is this important?  Simply because the altar is the ONLY place we can actually be altered!  It is the laying out of our lives that God is able to affect change - to bring order out of what looks like nothing more than chaos!

David says he does this and then waits watchfully for God's fire to descend.  This is the hardest part of bringing it to God - waiting watchfully for his move! Nothing is more of a struggle for us than waiting.  In the waiting, we want nothing more than to retrieve a few pieces off the altar and tuck them carefully away for "another time".  The sacrifice is only consumed if it is whole!

So, if life seems a little like CHAOS right now...don't lose hope!  It probably is!  In that CHAOS God is at work bringing something beautiful out of it.  CHAOS is really Christ Having Authority Over Sin in our lives.  CHAOS is really Christ Honoring Abandoned Obedient Service.  CHAOS is Christ Healing And Opening Spirits.  CHAOS is simply God at work!  Embrace it!  It has a purpose far greater than you'd ever imagine! 

Agents of change

Before you know it, the Spirit of God will come on you and you'll be prophesying right along with them. And you'll be transformed. You'll be a new person!  "When these confirming signs are accomplished, you'll know that you're ready: Whatever job you're given to do, do it. God is with you!"
(I Samuel 10:6-7)

This passage is taken from the story of the anointing of Saul, the first King of Israel.  Samuel is the prophet in the land at the time.  He had been sent by God to anoint Saul.  In turn, Samuel is telling Saul that he will receive some "confirmation" that God has anointed him.  Those "signs" will be: 1) He will encounter two men at the tomb of Rachel who will share news that his father is worried about his whereabouts and he should return to home; 2) He will come across three men on their way to worship - each carrying a different thing (goats, bread and wine); and 3) He will meet a group of prophets coming out of Gibeah (a Philistine town) - when he does, the Spirit of God will come upon him and he will be transformed!

God's anointing is always followed with an evidence of that anointing.  In Old Testament times, the signs that followed being anointed by God for his service were similar to what is described above.  The Spirit of God came to "rest upon" a man or woman of God in those days - not fully indwelling them.  Why was that?  Simply because the Spirit resident within us was not accomplished until Jesus's sacrifice for the atonement of our sins was accomplished.  The Holy Spirit then became resident within the believer - permanently residing within, not upon.

One thing is quite evident - where the Spirit of God is, there is evidence of his action.  There is a "transformational" process.  The work of the Holy Spirit is to bring us to a place where we have evidence that we have an exchange or change of character.  We transition from being self-directed, self-centered sinners to being Spirit-led, Christ-centered saints.  The "nature" of who we are is transformed.  As the passage implies, "You will be a new person."  That is as true today as it was when Samuel conversed with Saul those many years ago.

The result of the Holy Spirit's work in our lives is to conform us to the image of Christ - to help us walk according to the plans and purposes of our heavenly Father.  In turn, we are to be active in the mission for which we are prepared.  Most of us get hung up right there - we don't "feel" called to service (like full-time ministry of pastor, teacher, etc.), so we don't "feel" we have a mission to fulfill.  In actuality, scripture reminds us that we are each called to be "ambassadors of reconciliation".  (See 2 Corinthians 5:20)

An ambassador is one that represents another - acting as the authorized agent or representative of another.  In our case, we represent Christ to a lost and dying world.  We are the agents of reconciliation.  Big mission, huh?  Reconciliation is a process of bringing back into harmony what has been affected by something that results in chaos.  In our case, it is the process of bringing Christ into a world affected by sin - sin being the agent of chaos, Christ being the process and person of peace.

Paul tells us in the book of Corinthians that we are ambassadors - as though God were making his direct appeal to mankind through us.  He is using us as agents to spread his message of hope.  We each have a mission - an assignment, a commission, an objective to which we are called.  We cannot escape that fact.  We may not feel "enabled", but that is usually because we are relying on our own strength to fulfill that mission.  When we begin to rely on the strength of God's Spirit within us, there is an enabling that will take us beyond our "feelings".

Just as Samuel tells Saul to be engaged in whatever work God gives him to do, we are being called to that same call - do whatever work God gives you to do - for God is with you!  There is no reason for delay - God is with us.  We have an objective - not to attain something in our own power, but to represent the power of God to a world that desperately needs that revelation of supernatural power.  In ourselves, we are powerless - in Christ, we are power-full!  Isn't it time we step up to the purpose for which we are all called?  It is time to be on "mission with Christ" as his ambassadors to a hurting world!