How will you answer?

     This morning I was thinking about Gideon, specifically his response to being called a 'mighty man of valor,' he questioned the angel who said this, and when I read it I could almost imagine Gideon scoffing at him. That thought lead me to think about other men God called into His service. None of them perfect, and many of them acted like Gideon, not believing or accepting at first that they were being called by the most high God to do His will. Eventually they all came around to it,  but I was thinking about how we would respond today? Would we run like Jonah? Would we use the excuse of a stutter, or some other handicap like Moses to try to get out of it? Would we argue and need a test to prove it was God calling us like Gideon? Honestly, I think for many of us the answer is yes, we would respond in some or all of  the same ways they did.
      But just like all the men admired in the Bible, it doesn't matter how we see ourselves, or what our past was, God sees us differently. He sees our hearts and He knows for what purpose He has created you. You might feel like it is impossible to do whatever it is that He has called you to do, and it may make absolutely no sense to you why He wants you to do it, but trust the Lord. If He is laying it on your heart to do something, do it no matter how crazy it may seem in this world, because our Lord and His ways are not of this world, He is above it. Have faith that no matter what it is He will make a way for it to happen. God does not abandon those He calls into His service, instead He raises them up and blesses them for their obedience. Because of this knowledge there should be no fear when He calls you, just surrender yourself and allow Him to use you, whether it is in a big way or a small.
       It may sound crazy to some who are reading this, but I know one of you needed to read this today, and if it is you, you know it. If you have been called to service but are struggling with it because of fear or doubt, the Lord is urging you to put that fear aside, and promises that a way will be provided to do as you were told, have faith and pray for His direction. This wasn't the message I had planned on writing today, but as I prayed before I began this is what I was told to write about. May the Lord's blessings be upon you who have been called.

Job 2:21- 27

21“Submit to God and be at peace with him;

in this way prosperity will come to you.

22Accept instruction from his mouth

and lay up his words in your heart.

23If you return to the Almighty, you will be restored:

If you remove wickedness far from your tent

24and assign your nuggets to the dust,

your gold of Ophir to the rocks in the ravines,

25then the Almighty will be your gold,

the choicest silver for you.

26Surely then you will find delight in the Almighty

and will lift up your face to God.

27You will pray to him, and he will hear you,

and you will fulfill your vows.