I spoke with a friend today about some of the most unlikely people that God has used in the Holy Bible to carry out His purpose and plan. Isn’t God amazing how He grants enormous responsibility on some of the most unlikely people that there is or was! What an absolutely tremendous encouragement that is to all of us, the transformation of these improbable s into heroes of faith.
I have spoken with Christians who at times have said things like,” Oh God won’t use me for this reason or that, “ my instant response is to recall some people from the Holy Bible and bring to their remembrance that God doesn’t call the equipped, He equips the called!
God can choose and use YOU, scripture is full of these examples.
- Noah was a drunk.
- Isaac was a daydreamer.
- Jacob was a liar.
- Moses spoke with a stutter.
- Leah wasn’t blessed with good looks.
- Joseph was abused.
- Gideon was afraid.
- Samson was a womaniser.
- Rahab was a prostitute.
- Elijah was suicidal.
- Job went bankrupt.
- David was an adulterer and a murderer.
- Jeremiah was too young.
- Isaiah preached naked.
- Jonah ran from God.
- Naomi was a widow.
- Zaccheus was too small.
- Timothy had an ulcer.
- The Samaritan woman was divorced.
- Peter denied Christ.
Saul was chief persecutor. In Acts 8:1-3 we read. ”Now Saul was consenting to his death (the stoning of Stephen ) At that time a great persecution arose against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered throughout the region’s of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles. And devout men carried Stephen to his burial, and made great lamentation over him. As for Saul, he made havoc of the church, entering every house, and dragging off men and women, committing them to prison.“
We know that when God chose Saul, he went onto be chief apostle and write 13 epistles of the New Testament.
In 2 Corinthians 12:9, the word of God says, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.“
It is never about our own ability, whether God will use us mightily, as that would be looking at our own strength, moreover, it is about our availability. If we make ourselves available, God will supply the increase of ability when He chooses.
In 1 Corinthians 1:26-31, we read “For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called. For God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world, to put to shame the things which are mighty, and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, that no flesh should glory in His presence. But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God and righteousness and sanctification and redemption that, as it is written, “He who glories, let him glory in the Lord“ . Amen .
Romans 8:28 says, ”And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.”
Reading the Holy Bible gives us great encouragement. So we can encourage others by examples from God’s word too. Oh, I almost forgot, Lazarus was dead!!! ….
God bless.