Did you, like me, get all excited about ushering in the new year only to realize that we brought so much of the downside of last year with us? Here we are still locked away from human contact; political factions are still at each other's throats (I think the lockdown contributes to the unrest!); the future is still uncertain; and hugs are still a no go. So much for a new year.
Then I picked up an old devotional that my sister gave to me in 1998! In the first week's writings, I found a renewed focus for my calling, and I believe the calling of all of us Christ-followers. Here it is.
"Would you dare to believe that God, who called you to Himself and equipped you with His Spirit, could work mightily through you? Have you made the connection between the time and place in which you live and God's call upon you?
History is full of examples of Christian men and women who believed that God would work through them to make a significant difference for His kingdom. God placed Esther strategically in the king's court at a crucial time when she could save the lives of God's people (Esther 4:14). God placed Joseph strategically to become the most powerful adviser to the pharoah in Egypt and to save Jacob and his family from a devastating drought (Genesis 4:39-40)." From Experiencing God Day-By-Day.
Here is what I read in my new devotion book on the same day. Don't you marvel when things like this happen?
"Think about your unique place in God's history. There are things for which you alone can pray. If you were not here to pray--if you had never been born, or had died early--these matters could not be prayed for in the unique way that you can. Take delight in knowing that your calling as a pray-er is unique. Things will happen only because you prayed."
"A zealous Christian feels like a lamp, he is made to burn. And if he is consumed in burning, he has but done the work for which God appointed him. Such a Christian will always find an outlet for his zeal. If he can't preach or work or give money, he will cry, sigh, and pray." J. C. Ryle, pastor of the evangelical wing of the Church of England who died in 1900. From Magnificent Prayer.
My conclusion after reading these two inspirational passages on the same morning is that I might not be able to hangout or hug. And I might not be able to make unreasonable people calm down. I may not be an Esther or a Jacob, but I am a pray-er, and so are you. We can make a difference in our generation as we get on our knees and pray. Lord only knows in today's world, we have a lot to pray for. Will you join me?