04/27/2023
Do we want to be great men and women of faith? Is our goal to be like Mother Teresa, Billy Graham, or Martin Luther King? Is working quietly in the trenches unappealing to us? Did the first sentence of our morning prayers today contain the words "give me", "make me", or "let me?" God has no desire to make you great unless it just so happens that by doing so it will fulfil His will. As a matter of fact, some of the great disappointments in the Bible have been great people (like Nebuchadnezzar and Delilah) but men like David became great despite themselves because God needed them for that purpose or example. Often (also like David) they were great in spite of themselves. So, do we really want to seek greatness for ourselves?
“And do you seek great things for yourself? Seek them not, for behold, I am bringing disaster upon all flesh, declares the Lord. But I will give you your life as a prize of war in all places to which you may go."”
Jeremiah 45:5 ESV
The three people I just mentioned are all from modern times. None of them entered into faith to become great, but God needed them to be that way in order to speak to all of mankind. Mother Teresa was a self-deprecating woman who wanted to humbly serve the poor of India because they touched her heart, Billy Graham was raised on a dairy farm in a Presbyterian family before becoming ordained in the Southern Baptist Church and finding prominence following WWII; eventually he would gain the ear of Presidents. Last but not least is Martin Luther King who was just one of a thousand pastor's kids who grew up wanting to follow in his father's footsteps, but he was called to more, and his approach to nonviolence through Christ destined him to become great. His protests against racial persecution and intolerance catapulted Him into greatness. He was one of many many who believed in the Civil Rights movement, but what set him apart from the others was his answer to God’s will. All three of these examples are of normal people that God's plan required more of... it required them to accept greatness… not for themselves, but for God Himself.
God seeks to sustain us and to be in relationship with us. It is hard to maintain a relationship with great people. Their lives are so full of the world that they have little time for quiet walks in the Garden. If you happen to be in a family that has a very successful member in it you know what I am talking about. Suddenly they are transformed from the brother or sister that we once loved to quietly share our thoughts with into someone we must make an appointment to see. Being great has its personal perks, but God wants all of our attention, and a busy schedule of worldly things often gets in the way of that. It takes a very special person in God to balance faith with the world at that level. Greatness is certainly a handicap to our faithfulness, and God must strengthen us, and gift us, before we can overcome it.
“But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.”
Matthew 6:33 KJV
As I read my devotional written by Oswald Chambers this morning, he spoke of the quest for greatness in this way...
"Are you seeking great things for yourself? Not seeking to be a great one, but seeking great things from God for yourself? God wants you in a closer relationship to Himself than receiving His gifts, He wants you to get to know Him. A great thing is accidental, it comes and goes." - Oswald Chambers
When God calls a person to prominence it is almost always at a cost. The price is usually physical as well as spiritual. Mother Teresa was denigrated by many of her jealous peers, and fought to maintain her piety, while living a life of self-deprecation and suffering in prayer. Billy Graham was turned down by a local youth club because they said he was too worldly, and later in life he was accused of having anti-Semitic views among other things. Martin Luther King Jr. was derided during his life as being a rabble rouser and was later assassinated for his views on equality. Each of these people paid a price during their lives that resulted directly from their answering God’s call to greatness.
Oswald Chambers went on to say this about greatness...
"God never gives us anything accidental. There is nothing easier than getting into a right relationship with God except when it is not God whom we want, but only what he gives." - Oswald Chambers
In the case of great people of faith, God takes away the easy path and places them on a road fraught with hardship. It is easy for us to cherry pick the good things we see in their lives, but what did these things cost them? God wants us walking with Him in the Garden, so the suffering of greatness shouldn't be a surprise to anyone. greatness comes as a result of our answering a call to do God’s will… to suffer. Our desire should always be for a deep and meaningful relationship with the Lord; unfettered by worldly pitfalls, and if we find that we have become great in doing this, then that should come as a surprise to us.
I asked you what the first sentence of your prayers contained this morning. I asked if you used words like "give me", "make me", or "let me"... well, I hope not. My hope is that you began with such words as "Thank you", "love you" and "praise you." Our relationship should not be predicated on what God gives us, but on what he is to us. He calls us friend, child, and redeemed; so what do we call him? Is it also friend? Is it Father and Abba? Is it merciful? Is it full of grace? We shouldn’t seek greatness and other frivolous things from God, but simply his presence, and He will give us the greatest of His gifts... He will give us His name, and His quiet and loving peace.
“Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.”
Matthew 6:34 KJV
Prayer:
Father, thank you for the relationship you have allowed me to enter into with you. Thank you for not placing on me more than I can bear and for not allowing the world to distract me from you. Holy Father, I love you more than greatness, and more than those things of pleasure that only serve to draw my attention away from you. I ask that you give me belief and faith in abundance, and redeem me and make me righteous through your Son Jesus Christ. Lord, you are sufficient for me, and your presence as I walk brings me all the greatness I desire, but if it is your will is that I should be greater in some way… help me in it so that I can overcome its pitfalls, distractions, and temptations. Strengthen me just as you did Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane so that I can endure the hardship and suffering it brings.
“And he withdrew from them about a stone's throw, and knelt down and prayed, saying, “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done.” And there appeared to him an angel from heaven, strengthening him.”
Luke 22:41-43 ESV
Rich Forbes