Just let God do His work in us

On Sunday my pastor made one of the most profound statements I had ever heard during his sermon.
Well let me re-phrase that. I have heard this statement before, however after listening and reflecting on this weekend’s sermon the statement clicked with me in a way that it never had before. He said that God must work in you so that later he can do great things through you. I just kept saying that over and over in my head until it sank in. You see he was kicking off a series on the prophet Elijah, and in describing his obedience to God he said that phrase.

Elijah was arguably the most famous of all of Israel’s prophets and to quote my pastor “he kind of got the shaft” because he didn’t even get his own book in the Old Testament. But the work that God did in him, so in turn He could do great things
through him was a lesson that we all need to take notes on.

When God sent Elijah away in solitude he had nowhere to turn for his daily provisions except to God. And God was faithful in providing what he had promised. Elijah was fed and given water on a daily basis to the point that all his needs were met, and remember this was during a great drought. Let’s think on that for a moment. Imagine if you, in your daily obedience, were to just wake up and wait for God to provide what He has promised all the way down to your basic needs. What would that look like? Well to most of us it would be a little scary. You see we probably take for granted our daily needs, but that is a topic for a different day. During Elijah’s three years of isolation he learned to solely lean on God for his provisions. It was during this time that God was doing some serious work in Elijah so that later He could do some great things through Elijah.

In 1 Kings Elijah gets to perform the most incredible miracle, he raises a boy from the dead.

1 Kings 17:21-23
21 Then he stretched himself out on the boy three times and cried to the LORD, "O LORD my God, let this boy's life return to him!"
22 The LORD heard Elijah's cry, and the boy's life returned to him, and he lived. 23 Elijah picked up the child and carried him down from the room into the house. He gave him to his mother and said, "Look, your son is alive!"

Not too many people in the bible were entrusted with the gift of raising the dead, but Elijah had it. Throughout his whole isolation God was preparing him for that moment and many others to come.
This is happening to all of us now. If we could take the time to push all the other stuff off our plate and just for a moment lean on God for all provisions He could begin His work in us. By allowing that, He can transform us to His desire so that later He can do great things through us. Will we be able to raise the dead? Who knows? That isn’t our concern, but think of all the great things God could do through us if we just would allow Him to prepare us.

When I look back and reflect on my life experiences I start to pick out the spots in which I realize God had been preparing me for. For instance there was that conversation with a non-believer, the opportunity I got to teach youth, and the moment I met my wife. When I think of those moments, it is at that point, that I realize how long God had been preparing me for those chance moments.

I say chance because to us it seems like it was a chance meeting, or ironic happening. I now realize that nothing has been left to chance and that nothing happens ironically. God has it all laid out perfectly. All we have to do is get on board and ride along by faith. I pray that we can live by a faith so strong that we lean on Him for all things.

How amazing would the world be if we all lived by a faith that will allowed God to work in us so that in time He can do all His great things through us.