CHOOSE ME......

I teach 6th graders.  Last Friday, I gave them a creative writing assignment for the computers.  They had to pretend that they were pumpkins from Mr. Smith's Pumpkin Patch.  I was going to Mr. Smith's house to purchase the most perfect pumpkin to bring home, carve, put a light in, and place on my porch for Halloween.

Their job was to use as many adjectives and other descriptive words as possible to convince me that they are NOT the best pumpkin for me to purchase.

They had so much fun and really came up with some great papers.

I also teach the preschoolers at church.  We have been talking about how just like the farmer tills the land, grooms the soil, plants the pumpkin seeds and babies them so that in the fall, the best pumpkins are chosen for decorations and carving.  I told them that God does us the same way..................He is already preparing them for the job that He has for them.  They are in Sunday School, so someone loves them enough to bring them so they can learn about God, Jesus, Church, etc.  They will keep growing and learning more and more............then, one day, Jesus will knock at their heart's door and want to come in.  At the perfect time, they will accept Jesus as their Savior and be saved.  They will continue to grow...........just like the pumpkins grow.  And, one day God will guide them in the positions that he needs them to be in:  some may be preachers, some may be teachers, some may be deacons, some may be worship leaders, some may be missionaries, etc......but they all are important.

God calls us all to do SOMETHING.  He gives us gifts that he expects us to use to glorify Him.

But...many times, don't we play games with God.............just like I asked my students to "pretend"?   God may say..........I want you to teach a class at church.  Then, we will begin by telling him all of the reasons why we should not be the teacher..........why someone else would be better.  But....if God calls you........He will be with you.

Many years ago, when we first got married, God had already called Roger into the ministry, but he was not sure where God wanted him to serve.  We prayed and prayed and felt God wanted to use his vocal ability to glorify Him, so Roger felt led to go back to college and get some training in music.  At this point, he did not even know where a "middle C" was on the piano and probably did not even know that a C was a musical note.

To get into the vocal classes, he had to go to the head of the music department and get special permission.  He went to her and told her he had prayed and felt God leading him in this direction.  Thank goodness she was a Christian.

She said...........I am not going to argue with God, but with NO musical background, it will be next to impossible to pass the classes on a college level.  However.....if God said do it, I will not stand in the way and I will give you permission to take the classes.

He took two years of music and finished with a 4.0.

Living proof..............when God is in it, ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE!  He calls you.......and He will walk with you.

So instead of telling God..........don't pick me............let's be open to do and go wherever he takes us.