Did I say, “YES”?

Date: 5/4/25

Introduction: When you are asked to help, what is your usual answer?

Scripture: Matthew 28:19 Go and make disciples

When people ask me to help, I want to say, “Yes, let’s do it!”. Then I try to do what was asked of me and the enthusiasm just floats away. Either the task isn’t interesting, or it isn’t as easy as I thought and it takes too much learning, or my 61-year-old body starts screaming at me.

My self-talk goes something like this:

 'What were you thinking? What did I think it would be like?'

Then up go my prayers.

"Lord, I am so sorry and I don’t know what I was thinking. Please forgive me for making this about me and not you."

"Lord, I’m overwhelmed. I’m sorry if I overstepped. Please come and make this work."

"Lord, I must have bumped my head, Please forgive me for trying to be something to someone that I’m not. Help."

I think a better prayer would be:

"Lord,

Here we are in this. You said in Your word, “Go therefore and make disciples”. (Matthew 28:19) Please show up in this situation. Use my misplaced enthusiasm to advance the kingdom. Please use this choice that I made to bless others and help them to see and experience You. Your word says that if we do anything out of any motivation other than love, it doesn’t count. Please, Lord, make this count. (I Corinthians 13). In Jesus Name"

Now, when the Lord asks me to do something, do I show the same enthusiasm? What about you? When he asks you to do something, do you use the same enthusiasm? He usually asks me to do things I don’t want to do. So, when I think the Lord is asking me to do something it goes a little like this:

“Lord, are You sure You want me to go over there and just start talking to that person?”

“Lord, are You sure You want me to go to that place or person I don’t know and give them something. Give something of mine, or maybe money, or provide a service?”

“Lord, if that is what You really want me to do, please send three angel sightings, two trumpet blasts and a word from the pastor…. lol"

When I can get my mind to slow down a little bit so I can think, it changes to something like this:

"Lord, I give You my life and my mouth. You have something to say, fine! You get them ready to receive it because here I go. Your word doesn’t return void or ineffective so let’s get it done." (Isaiah 55:11)

How do I know it was God? Because the enemy only asks me to do things that are fun, expensive and popular. "If it’s no fun, is scary, and benefits others—unless it’s illegal—it is God."

What if you do what you think the Lord wants you to do but then it doesn’t turn out right, so you begin to think you missed God's intent? What if it didn't turn out like you thought it should have, so again, you think you missed God. Well, this happens to me, and I have to remember God is sovereign. It is a good practice to revert back to who this happened to in the Word. I think that Moses is a prime example here because Moses was supposed to be killed when he was born but he was saved and raised by the people in charge, Pharaoh’s daughter. He did not want to be part of Pharaoh’s family. When he came of age he went to where he thought God wanted him.

Because we were created in God's image (Genesis 1:26) which means we are “problem solvers”. We are part of the solution or at least we should be part of the solution. We have to keep in mind though that we may not be the solution to every problem.

When Moses began his journey he went to his people, I don't know if he knew his birth family but he knew that he came from the slave part of town, and when he got there he saw a guard abusing someone like him, a Hebrew. He ran into action to be part of the solution by trying to break it up. This ended with the guard getting killed. Obviously, he thought he had missed God’s intention and was in the wrong place. He then tried to hide what he had done.

The next time he went to the Hebrew part of town, he saw two Hebrews fighting each other. He asked, “What are you guys doing fighting each other?”. I can certainly see why he was questioning the actions he should take. Thinking that us Hebrews are family. We should stick together. It should be us against them not us against us! But one of the Hebrews said to him, “Who are you? The rule over us? Are you going to kill us like you did that guard?”.  He believed that what had happened with the guard was discovered, so he ran to the far side of the desert.

Moses thought he was running away from God. Probably embarrassed, confused and greatly disappointed. Here is the thing: he wasn't running away from God like he thought but was running towards his place of preparation for God.

When we want to be part of God's solution, we try to be that solution to every problem we see or the first problem that presents itself to us. I need to practice the pause. Before we act, we should pause and ask ourselves, is this my problem that I am a solution to? Sometimes if you just pause before you respond you gain more insight and information. You can then make a better choice as to whether you should act or react or just step aside and let God oversee it.

God used that instance to get Moses to the far side of the desert so he could train him to lead sheep. God knew his people, the Hebrews, were going to behave like sheep. Moses would need to be able to lead the Hebrews. I don't think he would have voluntarily gone to the far side of the desert and learned how to lead sheep without this instance of what he thought was missing God’s intention to help.

I, by no means, think that you should purposefully cause trouble, try to ignore God, or run from God's directions.  Also, never use these points as an excuse to not act on God’s will. Oh, no no! We should always strive to be excellent and sincerely listening for the call of the Holy Spirit. But just know, in those times that look like we missed God’s nudge, or it looks like we didn't get it right, our God already knew and calculated it. Remember, as long as you use your testimony, He can work it out for your good.

Let me pray for you:

Father God in the name of Jesus,

We surrender this life and all the opportunities You give us. Thank You that You are with us all the time and can use everything for Your glory. Please make us sensitive to Your presence so we can hear You, feel You and experience all the wonderful things You have for us. Please touch the hearts and minds of everyone reading this so that their lives will display Your goodness and break through ability. We praise Your holy name. In Jesus’ name