Do you feel qualified to be used by God?
Do I feel qualified, no I do not feel qualified, but I do not look at myself and my own inability as I consider Jesus and His ability to do the impossible. Based on the God’s Word in Mark 6:52 I decided to consider who Jesus is and His ability as the Son of the Living God.
Jesus promised the disciples and all of us as His followers that He will not leave us alone but ask the Father to send us the Holy Spirit, as in Acts 1:8 to empower us to be a witness of Jesus Christ. The disciples was asked to wait until they received the mentioned power before they go, the key element was their faith that the promise will come to pass.
Even though we did not have the same experience as with the disciples on the day of Pentecost, I have been encourage by the story of Elijah and Elisha. Elisha asked a double anointing from Elijah, who said if you see me go you have received it. Elisha saw Elijah and received only the cloak of Elijah. Even though the bible does not say it, I believe Elisha had to consider with the mantle in His hand, the question he asked of Elijah. The next step was to put his faith into action, Elisha returned to the Jordan river with the mantle in his hands and called on God to show him that he received what he asked.
In John 20:29 Jesus said, “blessed is he who have not seen but yet belief”. Faith, need to be followed by action confirming what we belief. In John 17:18 indicated that we who believe are commissioned by Jesus to go into the world and proclaim the good news of our salvation. In John 17:22-23 Jesus proclaimed that He gave us the same glory as He received and that He is within us. Our qualification is by faith only, and only when we can acknowledge that we can do nothing without God, can we truly share in His glory.
There is a saying that I can agree with, that God is not calling the qualified, He qualifies those who answer the call. According to my own understanding the Lord is looking for those who holy trust in Him and His ability so that He can reveal Himself mighty. Based on 1 Corinthians 1:27 we believe that God ask only to trust in Him for He want to show Himself in His mighty power as with Elijah and the baal prophets, to turn the heart of people back to Him. As in 2 Corinthians 4:7, we need to die to ourself so that Jesus can be manifested through us.
This story of a women who had two clay jars may explain it the best. The one jar was broken and the other one was whole. She however used both jars to draw water from the river, and always carried the broken jar on her left side when she returned from the river with water in the jars. When she got home she would pour out the water into a bigger container, the water left in the broken jar was not a lot. One day the broken jar asked the women why she continue to use him, since he is broken. The women took him outside and showed him the road, asking the jar on what side do I carry you when we return from the river. The jar said on the left side, she ask him, what do you see, the jar replied flowers. Then she asked him what is on the other side, and there was nothing. The women the explained that this is the reason she continue to use him, for the water that he carry, waters the flowers. The story explain that it is not about our natural condition or ability, but our ability to give that what you received, as Paul explained “My strength is made perfect in weakness” 2 Corinthians 12:9.
We however do not express our weakness as children of God, but witness of the power of God working from within. Acts 1:8 indicated that we will receive power from above to be a witness unto Christ, showing of His power working from within. Phil 4:13 I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me. Being a witness requires that we act accordingly, living the new recreated life in Christ Jesus trusting that in Christ we can do anything, considering not the old man and his failures but Christ who promised that in Him we will do all that He send us to do. Walking therefore by faith, a free adventure in trusting Him (FAITH). 2 Corinthians 5:1-7.
In conclusion my hope that God can use me took a leap when I considered the miracle of the loaves, the disciples looked at Jesus with amazement based on what can we do to feed these people. Jesus however did not asked them anything in particular, He only asked what do they have to give. Jesus used whatever they had, for in His hands it was enough. Likewise when the Lord call on us to serve Him, He is only asking us to place whatever we have in His hands, and trust in Him to do the rest. After all, we cannot heal anyone or transform a heart of stone into a heart of flesh, we however can trust in God to do it all in the name of His Son Jesus Christ, Who said He will do everything we ask in His name so that the Father my be glorified through the Son. (John 14:13-14)