04/27/2025
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 of faith unappealing to us? Did the first sentence of your prayer this morning contain "give me", "make me", or "let me?" Well, God sees no need for you to be great in the world unless it just so happens that by so doing it meets a necessity of His will. As a matter of fact, some of the biggest 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 as an example. Often (also like David) they were great without having sought greatness.
“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 in my opening paragraph are all from modern times. None of them entered into faith to be great, but God needed them to be 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 spiritual prominence following WWII… eventually gaining 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 to follow in his father's footsteps, and whose approach to nonviolence and Christ-like protest against racial persecution and intolerance catapulted Him to greatness. He was one of many many who believed in the Civil Rights movement... so what was it that set him apart from the others? It was God’s will. All of these examples are of normal people that God's plan required more of... it required them to take on a mantle of greatness, not for themselves, but to do God’s will and to glorify Him.
“And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.”
Colossians 3:17
“So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.”
1 Corinthians 10:31 ESV
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 you know what I am talking about. Suddenly they are transformed from the brother or sister you loved to quietly share your thoughts with into someone you must make an appointment to see. Being great has its personal perks, but God wants all of your attention, and a busy schedule of worldly things often gets in the way of that. It takes a special person to balance faith with the needs of the world. Greatness is a handicap to personal faith.
“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 Pastor 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 often 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. Billy Graham was turned down by a local youth club because they said he was too worldly, and later in life 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. All of these people paid a price during their lives that resulted directly from their 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 was the cost? God wants us walking with Him in the Garden, so the suffering of greatness shouldn't be our aspiration... it is a call to suffering. Our desire should be to have a deep and meaningful relationship with the Lord; unfettered by worldly pitfalls.
I’ll asked you again… what did the first sentence of your prayer contained this morning? I would like to know whether you used words like "give me", "make me", or "let me"... well, I hope not. My hope is that you opened your prayer with such words as "Thank you", "love you" and "praise you." You see, our relationship should not be predicated on what God gives us, but on what he is to us. Isn’t it wonderful when He calls us friend, child, and redeemed; but what do we call him? Is it also friend? Is it Father? Is It merciful? Is it full of grace? Don't seek greatness and other frivolous things from God, but simply seek a relationship with Him, and if you do this then He will give you the greatest of His gifts... His unbridled love, eternal presence, and quiet peace.
““Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.”
Matthew 6:34 ESV
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 those things of worldly pleasure that only serve to draw my attention away from you. I ask that you give me an abiding faith in abundance, and that you will use it to 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. The world tempts me with power and wealth, but there is no great benefit to my faith in this… only a distraction as I seek to please you. When I find myself praying for comforts in this life, an increase in my salary, a bigger house, a new car, and so many other things that make me look successful to the world, I ask that you remind me who I should be glorifying and pleasing… you. I pray today for a closer walk with you Abba, because I know that if I love you with all my heart, soul, mind, and strength, that you will provide for me and care for me… giving me what I need to love you more, do your will, and bring honor to you through our relationship. This you have promised, and you will honor your Word in its entirety. Praised be your name Holy Father for you are merciful, full of grace, good, and loving… these things, and all of who you are, is sufficient for me. In you I am satisfied and made whole… wanting nothing more.
Amen! Amen! Amen!
Rich Forbes