YES

I have been thinking about the people who met God thru the Bible. Not the guys who met Him superficially. Many of the Pharisees did NOT meet Jesus tho they obviously could pick Him out of a line up.

I am thinking about Moses and God's relentless pursuit (Exodus 3 and 4), but I have talked plenty about him. What about Isaiah chapter 6? Meeting with the terrifying holiness of God, he became convicted of his sinfulness. Meeting God ruined him. He could no longer pretend. And after this meeting, God asks "Whom shall I send?" Isaiah didn't ask for specifics. He didn't ask about the terms of employment or the qualifications. He just said YES with all of his being because he say, truly saw, that doing God's work was more important, more real, more fulfilling than anything.

In John 4, a Samaritan woman meets Jesus. He knows her, everything about her, and she recognizes Him as the Messiah. He lovingly confronts her but also loves her just by breaching societal norms. She said YES and returned to her village to share this amazing news. The first missionary of our faith wasn't even someone who would meet the board's requirements. She was despised by the people and yet prized by God. Her story of YES not only includes her stepping into who she really is, but reveals that action often follows YES. There is nothing passive about meeting God.

And, of course, Saul in Acts 9 is another big YES. The chief persecutor of the early church becomes one of its primary leaders after being knocked off his pedestal by God. After being blinded, his eyes were opened to Jesus' true identity. Aren't we so often blind? Not just to who God is, but to who God really is. Do we truly believe God has a plan for us? Do we really believe that God wants us to live an abundant life? Do we really believe we are forgiven? Do we understand what being His child is?

Saying YES, these characters took action, were changed. Not that they had their "best lives now" and died happy deaths. Moses died without ever setting foot into the Promised Land tho he was permitted to glimpse it. I don't know about the Samaritan woman, but Isaiah and Saul died martyr deaths. That really isn't the best selling point for God, either, when you are trying to get whimpy mortals to work with you. Still, it goes back to what we believe. If we believe this life is the end, we need to stay out of God's business. Enjoy yourself. Eat, drink, and be merry because this will be it. On the other hand, if we believe God is preparing a place for us, that there is an eternal destiny, is it so much to give God our life now?

What if God called you today? Could you say YES?
Photo by Heather Garland

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