GOD USES WEAKER VESSELS
Philippians 4:13 ESV
I can do all things
through him (Christ)
who strengthens me.
If there has ever been an atypical missionary appointee, I confess it was probably me. I’m thinking in terms of practical do-it-yourself, everyday skills. My Dad was great at that. My older brother, Ray, is great at that. My son, John David, is great at that. Me? I would honestly give me a P for pathetic. I even had to take lessons from a friend to learn how to drive a straight-shift car at missionary orientation. My adventures with driving continued in Nigeria on my first trip into town from my home outside Jos. As I was taking a road leading me downtown, I was met by several police, who stopped me and told me I was going the wrong way on a one-way street. They kindly left me off with a warning. I am proud to report, however, that I learned how to jump start my ancient Toyota Corolla most mornings before school. While my missionary men mentors could do all the household and auto fixes for the typical issues we all faced in Nigeria, I had to quickly learn how to call on James for electrical issues, Joseph for plumbing fixes, and Dayo for auto repairs. And in my first fifteen years, we had no phones. We had to ask our fellow missionaries to somehow get an S.O.S. to them by word of mouth. I was surely inept, not adept in term of typical missionary survival skills.
But you know what? That didn’t seem to matter to God. He had called me to Nigeria, even when He knew my obvious weaknesses. He never failed to meet my need for assistance in surviving the everyday challenges life brought my way. And even though there were dark nights without electricity, dry days without water in the pipes, and sometimes periods of catching rides when and where I could; God always saw me through. He focused my mind on His calling for me to serve students and teachers at Baptist High School, Jos in the Name of Jesus. He consistently gave me great joy as I had the privilege of sharing His Word with students and teachers desperately hungering for His Truth. If the IMB had given me a practical exam on survival skills for the mission field, I would have failed miserably. That was never an issue. God made sure my life was all about serving Him as I lived out my witness to His Love daily. Praise God He often uses weaker vessels like me.
David
I Samuel 17:37 ESV
And David said, “The LORD
who delivered me from
the paw of the lion
and from the paw of the bear
will deliver me from this Philistine.”
The youngest of all Jesse’s sons, David had been secretly anointed to be King. God had given him the heart of a godly king, no matter his young appearance nor his daily work as a lowly shepherd. Yet, before Goliath God lifted him up as a champion for God’s honor and His Kingdom. God provided through David’s line the Promised Messiah who would offer salvation to the whole world.
Daniel
Daniel 6:22a ESV
“My God sent his angel and
shut the lions’ mouths,
and they have not harmed me, . . .”
Imagine being raised in a privileged Jewish home, only to lose everything during Jerusalem’s fall to Nebuchadnezzar and mighty Babylon’s army. Add to that, being marched in captivity to serve in the tyrant’s pagan court. For Daniel and Hananiah/Shadrach, Mishael/Meshach, and Azariah/Abednego, it was their God who gave them strength and wisdom and integrity to stand for His glory and His power before the King. Under Nebuchadnezzar, Belshazzar, Darius and Cyrus, Daniel continued to bring praise to God as he served with faithfulness and excellence.
Josiah
2 Kings 2:25 ESV
Before him there was no king like him,
who turned to the LORD
with all his heart and with all his soul
and with all his might,
according to the Law of Moses,
nor did any like him arise after him.
Josiah became King of Judah when he was only eight years old. Although his father had been so wicked he was murdered by his own servants, Josiah reigned for thirty-one years. Even as a sixteen year-old he began to seek the God of David. This conversion led him to have the high places, the Asherah, and the altars to Baal destroyed. Then in his eighteenth year, Hilkiah, the high priest, found a Book of the Law, probably most of Deuteronomy. This book was sent to Josiah,who tore his clothes as a sign of repentance once he heard the message. He began a time of far reaching religious reforms. This religious revival led Josiah to be remembered as “a king who turned to God with all his might.”
Jeremiah
Jeremiah 1:5 ESV
“Before I formed you
in the womb I knew you,
and before you were born
I consecrated you;
I appointed you a
prophet to the nations.
When Jeremiah was around seventeen, God spoke to him. This is what he had to say:
“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you,
and before you were born I consecrated you;
I appointed you a prophet to the nations.”
Understandably he was overwhelmed and replied, “I am only a youth.” God basically replied by reminding Jeremiah it was not about Jeremiah’s fears about his readiness. It WAS all about God’s anointing and enabling call and presence. Then God placed His hand on Jeremiah’s mouth. His service to God would depend on God’s Presence, not Jeremiah’s ability. He would accomplish mighty deeds for the Kingdom through Jeremiah as His prophet and His courageous and faithful servant.
Mary
Luke 1:31 ESV
“And behold, you will conceive
in your womb and bear a son,
and you shall call his name Jesus.”
Mary was also young, probably around 16 when Gabriel announced she would give birth to Jesus, the Messiah. Mary’s practical reply was to ask how she, a virgin, could bear a child. Gabriel replied by explaining how the Holy Spirit would perform a miraculous conception so Jesus would be holy, unique, without the joining of a man and woman. Mary both simply and profoundly believed. She accepted God’s calling in spite of her youth. Her obedience gave God glory as He brought Jesus into the world to save us from sin and death. How beautifully and powerfully God works through His servants to bring light into a too often very dark world.
Anna
Luke 2:38 ESV
And coming up at that very hour
she (Anna) began to give thanks to God
and to speak of him to all who were
waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem.
As a young woman Anna married, but after seven years her husband died. She devoted her life to service in the Temple for the remainder of her life. She worshipped, prayed and fasted continuously. Seeing Mary and Joseph dedicating the infant Jesus in the Temple, Anna gave thanks to God and spoke of Him to all who were anticipating the coming of redemption of Jerusalem. For all her life God had been preparing her heart for His appearance. Hers had been a simple life of faithfulness before God. Now He used her along with Simeon to bear testimony to this baby boy born to be the promised Messiah for Israel.
Mark
2 Timothy 4:11 ESV
”Luke alone is with me.
Get Mark and bring him with you,
for he is very useful to me for ministry.”
As a young man, Mark had the privilege to accompany Barnabas and Paul on their first missionary journey. Then for some reason he left them and returned home. When it came time for another journey, Barnabas wanted Mark to accompany them again. Paul refused because of his failure to finish the first time. This caused Barnabas to take Mark one way, while Paul took Silas and went another. Though he seemed to have some struggles as a young man, this same believer went on to earn Paul’s own commendation, and to write the Gospel of Mark based on the preaching and teaching of the Apostle Peter.
Timothy
I Timothy 1:1-2 ESV
”Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the command
of God our Savior and of Christ Jesus our hope.
To Timothy my true son in the faith:
Grace, mercy from God the Father
and Christ Jesus, our Lord.”
Timothy was taught the Scriptures by his mother, and his grandmother, Lois. It is thought he might have been fully converted during Paul’s first missionary journey. Paul called him a child in the faith. On Paul’s second missionary journey The Apostle recognized how Timothy was respected among the believers. Later Paul actually sent Timothy on crucial missions. Paul testified to Timothy’s compassion and commitment. He was actually listed with Paul as one of the authors of six letters. Paul actually wrote two letters to Timothy. These letters serve as good models for those in ministry advising younger ministers they are mentoring.
While everyone of us has been made in God’s image, He has given us the challenge to invite Him to make MUCH for His glory, rather than taking the MUCH He has given into our hands and making it small. He will transform us by His mercy and grace until we are truly fit for His Kingdom. Yet, He will not force us; He will allow us to refuse every good thing He offers until we are fit for absolutely nothing. Seeking Glory for Him: Good for us. Seeking glory for ourselves: Terrible for everyone. If we make it all about Jesus; that’s always going to be good. If we make it all about ourselves; that’s always going to be bad.
