We’re on day 3 of Listening to God in prayer. One of the problems we have is that after we’ve identified God’s voice, we respond too quickly.
[9] And they said unto him, Where is Sarah thy wife? And he said, Behold, in the tent.
[10] And he said, I will certainly return unto thee according to the time of life; and, lo, Sarah thy wife shall have a son. And Sarah heard it in the tent door, which was behind him.
[11] Now Abraham and Sarah were old and well stricken in age; and it ceased to be with Sarah after the manner of women.
[12] Therefore Sarah laughed within herself, saying, After I am waxed old shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also?
[13] And the LORD said unto Abraham, Wherefore did Sarah laugh, saying, Shall I of a surety bear a child, which am old?
[14] Is any thing too hard for the LORD? At the time appointed I will return unto thee, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son.
[15] Then Sarah denied, saying, I laughed not; for she was afraid. And he said, Nay; but thou didst laugh.Genesis 18
What is God saying to you that you’re quick to dismiss or laugh off? Is He asking you to pray for a loved one’s salvation? To share the gospel with a friend? Is He calling you into the ministry?
We may still be trying to figure out if it’s God that is speaking to us – but let’s be careful not to dismiss what He’s saying simply because it doesn’t fit our preconceived limitations for our life. Remember:
- Noah was a drunk
- Abraham was too old
- Isaac was a daydreamer
- Jacob was a liar
- Leah was ugly
- Joseph was abused
- Moses had a stuttering problem
- Gideon was afraid
- Samson had long hair and was a womanizer
- Rahab was a prostitute
- Jeremiah was too young
- David was an adulterer (not to mention a murderer)
- Elijah was suicidal
- Isaiah preached naked
- Jonah ran from God
- Naomi was a widow
- Job went bankrupt
- John the Baptist ate bugs
- Andrew lived in the shadow of his big brother
- Peter denied Christ
- All the disciples fell asleep while praying (and ran away when Jesus really needed them.)
- Martha worried about everything
- The Samaritan woman was divorced (more than once)
- Mary Magdalene was demon-possessed
- Zaccheus was too small
- Timothy had an ulcer
- Paul was a Christian-killer
- Oh…and Lazarus was dead
