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How Big is Your God?
We all have a slightly different view of who God is. The image of God in our minds is made up of many different things. How much of the Word of God we have heard or read, church experience, personal revelation from the Holy Spirit, and even life experience all help to shape our personal image of God. Which leads me to ask, “How big is your God?”
The image of God that I have in my mind’s eye has recently grown exponentially. I have always been the sort of “wait upon the Lord” kind of girl. I am always waiting for Him to open doors and bring opportunities my way. Don’t get me wrong, there’s nothing wrong with waiting upon the Lord, in fact the Bible tells us to do this. However, I have learned that sometimes we need to step out and take action on God’s promptings, and just watch what the Lord will do. Recently I did just that and I was amazed!
The Prompting
I am a creative person by nature. Music and worship are my absolute desires. I have written a few songs over the last couple of years but only two have been heard in public. Two of my good friends on the worship team with me at church began to encourage me to put on a worship concert. I was like, “What?!!” My thoughts ran immediately to the negative, “I can’t do that, that’s too big for me, who’s going to come and hear me sing anyway.”
I am currently in a Bible study with some great women and we are studying the book of Esther. Throughout our study the Holy Spirit has really been working on my faith level. He spoke to my heart and told me, “you do the what and I’ll do the how.”
So, nervously, I began to ask musicians if they would like to help me put on a worship concert. One by one, I was getting, “yes.” Then I began to ask some friends if they would like to sing back up and again I was greeted with, “yes.” I became abundantly encouraged and really thought that maybe this was all going to come together.
The Dilemma
Things were beginning to fall in place quite nicely until I had to search for a bass player. A friend of mine who wanted to play bass for me had a previous commitment and couldn’t play for the concert and I couldn’t change the date for the concert because the church had already been booked and all the other members of the concert were in place. I tried to get four other bass players but they were either already booked for that night or just didn’t want to be a part of it. I was at my wits’ end. I didn’t know anyone else to ask. Was I going to have to cancel the concert?
It’s at this point that I begin to wonder whether I had even heard from the Lord in the first place concerning the concert or maybe it was just I trying to prove myself worthy once again. I had already put so much of my heart and soul into the preparation of this concert and watching it slip away was just killing me. I went to the Lord in tears, trying to understand what He was doing or if He was even there and could see that I needed Him.
The Solution
The very next day, my son had a field trip and the parents had to carpool. Mrs. Montgomery asked if I wanted to ride with her and I was obliged. As we traveled to our destination I began to pour my heart out to her about the inevitability of canceling my concert. She wouldn’t hear of it. She picked up her cell phone immediately and began calling someone from her church. She asked if there were any available bass players that could play for the concert. She was given two names and phone numbers, which she happily passed on to me. I was shocked! Wow, just like that, when you least expect it the Lord throws you a lifesaver. How big is your God?
The next day I called one of the names I had been given and received yet another, “yes, I’d be glad to play bass for your concert.” Can you believe that, a perfect stranger just said that he would be the glue that kept this whole thing together? And for free!
The Setback
I immediately went out to get the flyers printed for the concert because at this time the concert was now three weeks away. I was so excited! Until I got home—that is!
You see, when I arrived home that day and checked my email, the piano player had decided to back out of the concert and a phone message was left where two of the singers would not be able to make it either. There I was again, in the pit of despair, holding my concert flyers ready to post out in the world, wondering what was I going to do? Should I cancel? I was so tired and I just couldn’t take it anymore. My mother and my family surrounded me and lifted me up with their prayers. Should I just wait upon the Lord or take action?
The Comeback
I made a decision. I was going ahead with this concert no matter what! And no human being or demon in hell was going to stop me! I knew this concert was from the Lord and that He would provide everything and everyone needed, just as He provided Steve Paine, the bass player.
You know what I did? I stepped out of my comfort zone and took a risk. The two other piano players I knew of couldn’t do the concert so I stepped out in faith and asked someone I didn’t know but had met before. My daughter is in the 8th grade choir at her middle school. I have been to two of her chorus concerts and met briefly her chorus teacher Mr. Robert Wilson. I was very impressed with his musical talents. I called the school and left a voice mail for him regarding my predicament and then waited for his call. It was awful, the waiting and wondering. He called me back the next morning and told me that he could do the concert. Hallelujah!!!!!! The concert would go on!
How big is your God? Mine has become bigger than ever. Maybe a better question is, “How big is your faith?” My faith has been stretched during this ordeal,and it was not fun, but I praise God for it. He taught me that I am not just to wait upon Him but also to pray and act.
The Resolution
I encourage you to take action in doing the what and God will show up and provide the how. The enemy knows whom the Lord can use to glorify Him. Satan will try to stop you if he can with a few roadblocks here and there-- but just be faithful unto the Lord and He will straighten everything out in the end. Satan’s looking for the quitters, don’t give up on whatever the Lord has spoken to you. Sooner or later if you keep on keeping on, the enemy will get tired of you and move on to an easier target. How Big is your God?
Copyright © 2008-2015 Christina Messer
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