The best is yet to come !!!

Acts 20:24... Finish the race !
The following excerpt is from my daily devotional from "My Utmost for His highest"( Oswald Chambers)

Is This True Of Me?

It is easier to serve or work for God without a vision and without a call, because then you are not bothered by what He requires. Common sense, covered with a layer of Christian emotion, becomes your guide. You may be more prosperous and successful from the world’s perspective, and will have more leisure time, if you never acknowledge the call of God. But once you receive a commission from Jesus Christ, the memory of what God asks of you will always be there to prod you on to do His will. You will no longer be able to work for Him on the basis of common sense.

What do I count in my life as “dear to myself”? If I have not been seized by Jesus Christ and have not surrendered myself to Him, I will consider the time I decide to give God and my own ideas of service as dear. I will also consider my own life as “dear to myself.” But Paul said he considered his life dear so that he might fulfill the ministry he had received, and he refused to use his energy on anything else. This verse shows an almost noble annoyance by Paul at being asked to consider himself. He was absolutely indifferent to any consideration other than that of fulfilling the ministry he had received. Our ordinary and reasonable service to God may actually compete against our total surrender to Him. Our reasonable work is based on the following argument which we say to ourselves, “Remember how useful you are here, and think how much value you would be in that particular type of work.” That attitude chooses our own judgment, instead of Jesus Christ, to be our guide as to where we should go and where we could be used the most. Never consider whether or not you are of use—but always consider that “you are not your own” (1 Corinthians 6:19). You are His.

O Lord, by Your grace open my vision to You and Your infinite horizons, and take me into Your counsels regarding Your work in this place.

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I have loads of thoughts and questions these days.. I also live with a lot if disappointment and discouragement. I feel disillusioned at times and in other ways I have lost confidence in some of the things I used to have confidence in .

Yesterday I worshipped at Cranbourne Salvos with Jules, as we are on holidays and want to just check out a few places around us ... Major Rob Evans spoke a great word on faith and in some ways God (through Rob) challenged me and I went home pondering again what it means to be a faith filled and faith functioning servant of God. In a culture that sometimes seems to squash "true" faith.

I loved how Rob put it, and for me..it was good to hear it again, even though I sense it might be easier to hear than do. ( Rob if you are reading this... About getting your feet wet before the miracle bit. Lol, loved it)

These words from my daily devotions(above) this morning, have spoken to me and reinforce my thoughts...

" Our reasonable work is based on the following argument which we say to ourselves, “Remember how useful you are here, and think how much value you would be in that particular type of work.” That attitude chooses our own judgment, instead of Jesus Christ, to be our guide as to where we should go and where we could be used the most. Never consider whether or not you are of use—but always consider that “you are not your own."

The truth is I have failed in this very area, thinking that I have some worth to the organization in some way or the other, that I have this dream job, that I would be perfect for..and would help TSA so much if I was in that sweet spot of ministry.

Arrrrrrgh.... The frustration is that I doubt now that will ever happen and that, this self doubt now, of perhaps it is all an illusive dream anyway... Is actually not God ordained but Gary Grant hoped.

When I became an Officer in TSA I fair dinkum laid down my own rights...we all did...as Officers, we signed a Covenant saying we would serve Him supremely all our days... And so what right then does an Officer like me, ( or any officer for that matter) have to say to the Lord Himself I must be doing that or this... ? Or to say to the organization I want to do that and only that.

Or even question what it is He has in mind for my life anyway ? I am His servant. HIS servant.

It bothers me when I see certain things happen around me and especially in TSA and our culture, and it causes me to question a lot ...about us, about myself, and about the process.

But one thing I know and believe, is that God is not finished with me just yet ..and I must and I desire..to finish my race well, to complete what God had called me to be and do, regardless of what everyone else might or might not be doing. (Acts 20: 24)

To be happy with the "current position" is a challenge and one that I pray about everyday, I struggle to see what I can achieve ... I find all the objections under the sun and I can see all the obstacles more clearly than I can see anything else... And yet I also know that God has not finished with me yet... Some of my dreams are now gone, and I often feel I have little worth or value left for the organization, but in the middle of those feelings of disappointment, the very still small voice of God comes again to me and reminds me, (deep down inside my soul) I belong to Him and He is not finished with me yet, and my best is still yet to come.

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On our last Sunday at Ringwood, a number of people had lined up to say goodbye and say some nice words to us... It was really nice. But one young lady stood there, tears streaming down her cheeks, and reminded me of sermon I had preached yonks ago.

That sermon was all about the best is yet to come. This young lady spoke to me of the hope that came into her spirit as she heard those words, the revived spirit she received as she heard those words and allowed them to speak into her soul. She thanked me for that. It was good to be encouraged.

I guess in some ways it is still true, isn't it ?

If our best has already gone, then we are in serious trouble.

If my best is yet to come and yours too, then we still have hope...and if we have hope then there isn't anything that can hold us back.

It will get our feet wet in a miracle about to happen (Rob Evans will understand) if we still have hope, we will take that step into the unknown ..knowing that God is there and that He is orchestrating the most amazing "best" we have ever yet to experience ...

Just quietly .... I want and need that !

My best is still yet to be seen.

My best ministry, my best service, my best faith, my best love, my best work, my best Officership has not yet even been seen.

Bring it on God.

Wherever it ends up being ! And whatever it actually ends up looking like for me.( and You LORD !)

 

 

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