1 Corinthians 1:26-31 ESV
“For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God. And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption, so that, as it is written, ‘Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.’”
Not Wise by Human Standards
When I consider my calling, I can attest to the fact that
this is absolutely true. I was always a slow reader. My reading comprehension
level was low. I graduated high school with a 1.4 GPA (D-). I began college
reading on a 4th grade level. I finally took a special reading class
and I got up to 7th grade level. But there are still things I have
difficulty comprehending, and I am still a very slow reader even at the age of almost
72 (in a few weeks).
I was abused by my father and emotionally neglected by my
mother. I lacked much confidence except in the area of music. If something was
too difficult for me to understand I didn’t bother with it. I didn’t understand
politics at all so I just voted a straight party ticket according to the party
my parents voted for. I had no motivation to learn anything too difficult.
Now, I did believe in Jesus at the age of around 7 years of
age, but I was brought up reading the King James Bible, and to me it was like
reading Shakespeare. So, I read my Bible but I didn’t get much out of it until
our pastor recommended the NASB version, and then the Scriptures came alive to
me. But even that version was a bit over my reading grade level.
Other than the Scriptures, I wasn’t really motivated to
learn much else unless there was a practical reason to learn it. I tended to
follow whatever I was taught in church, and I was taught to pledge allegiance (vow
fidelity) to my government with hand over heart, and to sing patriotic songs,
and to believe our nation were the “good guys” of the world.
A Calling to be like a Jeremiah
I knew early on, though, that God was calling me to be like
a Jeremiah, not that I claim to be a prophet, I don’t, but that I knew the Lord
was calling me to say whatever he gave me to say to whomever he gave me to say
it and that I was not to be afraid of them fighting against me, for the Lord
was with me and he would help me and he would give me the words to say.
But boy was that ever put to the test. As the Holy Spirit
began to teach me biblical truths through his word, things that I would never
be able to grasp in my own flesh, and as I began to share these things during
group Bible studies, under the authority of the leaders, and only as given
permission to speak, I began to face opposition and rejection and criticism.
Over my lifetime I have faced a lot of persecution and
rejection and mistreatment because of my walk of faith and because of my stand on
the truth of God’s word at a time when the truth was coming under fire and
people were beginning to dilute the gospel to make it less offensive. And much
of this mistreatment was totally unjust and uncalled for.
It would seem that every time I would step out in faith to
obey the Lord that there was always someone there to “slam dunk” me like I was
a basketball. And I would get disheartened and discouraged because some of
these people were in positions of spiritual leadership over me. But I wasn’t
doing anything wrong. I was submitting to the leadership. I did not speak
unless I was called on to speak, but I just didn’t fit with their way of
thinking.
So, sometimes I would retreat, and then the Lord would
encourage me to get back in there and so I would only to get “slam dunked”
again. And then I began to question God’s calling on my life, and I cried out
to him frequently and would say to him, “God, why did you make me like this?” I
wondered why God would gift me this way and then not provide a way for me to
use the gifts he had given me, but I soon learned he was preparing me.
Back to School
At the age of 52 the Lord led me to go back to college and
to take some business classes in order to get an entrepreneur certificate. I
was concerned I would not even pass the entrance exam, but I did, by the grace
of God. I began with just one class, an Accounting class. And boy did I
struggle. If something was too difficult, my brain just automatically shut
down.
So, as I tried learning Accounting I would literally sit on
the floor with the textbook in front of me and just weep. “I can’t do this!” I
would say. And then the Lord would encourage me that I could, and I had a few
family members, too, who were encouraging me that I could. So, I gave it over
to the Lord and I trusted him and he helped me to learn.
I continued to struggle the same way for the next few
classes I took, crying, praying, saying “I can’t do this,” and then ultimately
surrendering it to the Lord, and he again taught me what I needed to learn. And
to make a long story short, after 4 years at this school (part-time) I finally
got my entrepreneur certificate along with a 4.0 GPA (straight A’s). Glory to
God!
Now, I am not telling this story to brag, but what I am
saying is that I was not wise (smart) by human standards. I was not powerful or
influential or well-liked (popular). I definitely was not of noble birth. We were
dirt poor most of my growing up years. I was foolish in the eyes of the world.
I was weak and low and despised in the world. But God still called me.
So, why did the Lord see to it that I learned well enough to
get straight A’s? I believe it was to teach me that I could learn, for I had a
mental block against learning most things other than the Scriptures. And why
was this important? Because of what he called me to do I had to do a ton of
reading of articles on a vast array of subjects that I knew nothing about and I
would normally be terrified to even approach such things. But at college I learned
that I could learn and that I didn’t need to fear things over my head.
But God Chose Me
So, the Lord called me, not because of my book smarts, and
not because of my popularity, and not because I knew all the right things to
say to all the right people, because I had none of that. He didn’t choose me
because I had great biblical training or knowledge, either, for I didn’t. He took
a woman who lacked confidence who was beaten down and thought she couldn’t
learn much of anything and he chose her to do what she is now doing.
Seventeen years ago the Lord called me to this present
ministry to write down what he teaches me from his Word each day and to put it
on the internet. Now, it wasn’t daily until June of 2006, and it wasn’t even
every day until December of that year, I think. And I had no prior experience
in doing anything like this, but I trusted him, and I submitted to him, and I
wrote what he gave me to write and I put it on the internet.
And I know that the Lord has been using me in the ways that
this passage talks about, not because of my own abilities, but because of God’s
calling, and only in his strength and wisdom. I don’t even know what I am going
to write until I sit down to write and then he leads me in what to say.
Sometimes I just stare at the computer and I say, “Lord, I have no clue where
to begin,” and then the words just flow from the Spirit.
So, I know that all of this that is good is from God and not
from myself. I know that better than anyone, for I know my own limitations. And
this is why I always give glory to God because I didn’t do it, not in my flesh.
I just yield to the Holy Spirit’s control and I write what I believe the Lord Jesus
is leading me to write and then I put it on the internet and he takes these
writings where he wants them to go, and I do know that they are going to people
in many different nations throughout the world.
And I trust that the Lord is getting these to the people he
wants to read them and that he will use them in the way that he intends. My job
is just to listen to him and to write what I believe he is saying to me through
his word and then all I do is post it on the internet. And that’s why God gets
the glory when anyone is touched in any way by what he has me write.
By Jonathan
Foreman
I give you my
destiny
I'm giving you all
of me
I want your symphony
Singing in all that
I am
At the top of my
lungs
I'm giving it my all
So, I lay my head
back down
And I lift my hands
and pray
To be only yours I
pray
To be only yours I
pray
To be only yours
I know now you're my
only hope
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-gnS7ZEbEqU
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