Picking Teams - Gen. 10-12 & Matt. 4
Remember the days of recess when you dashed out of class excited for today's game of kickball? Depending on your athletic ability and popularity you have different memories of those moments. This is because as soon as you reached the playground, it was time to pick teams. For some people that time was no big deal, and if anything kind of fun (because you knew you'd be chosen first). For others it was one of the worst times of your day (and life on a daily basis) because it would always come down to you and just a few others.
Today's Scripture passages in both the Old and New testaments remind me of this and make me smile. Did you ever see one of the best playground athletes who was choosing teams pick some of the non-athletic kids? Typically this happened because the good athlete kid choosing teams knew that he/she was so good it didn't really matter who was on their team.
That's kind of what we see in today's readings. In Genesis 12 we see God choose Abraham, a 75-year old man to make a covenant with and from whom God would bring about the nations of Israel and eventually Jesus! In Matthew 4 we see Jesus walking by the sea of Galilee and choosing Peter and Andrew, James and John, random, normal fisherman who couldn't cut it in school to be His disciples. I LOVE IT!
I love it because I can't cut it. I'm not good enough, smart enough, dedicated enough - I am weak, but God has still chosen to use me. AND HE'S CHOSEN TO USE YOU TOO!!! The only catch is that we have to be willing to follow. Abraham, Peter, Andrew, James, and John didn't always have it easy, but they experienced God in a way that no other humans ever have because they were willing to follow the Lord.
Think about it...if you went back to those days of recess and the "athletic guy/girl" chose you - would you say no? Of course not! Why would you?! It's a no-brainer.
Pretty much the same way with Jesus' invitation. As we begin this new year, know that you have been chosen by Jesus, but it's up to you whether or not you'll take the journey with Him.
I hope you will.
1 comment:
Sometimes I think of myself as that star athlete picked by God for the kingdom like the ringer is secured for the basketball league. But then all too often I am reminded that I am no more than that kid who is picked last on the playgound, you know, the one given the nickname "the automatic out" in the kickball game.
I try to sweep in and save the day, fixing a problem or resolving a dispute, but my flesh rears its ugly head and instead of looking chivalrish, I look all too childish. Praise God that He still invites us to serve with Him. No wonder His mercies are new every day. We need them!
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