Inadequacy

Do you ever feel inadequate?

I often find myself in one of two extremes. I either find myself thinking that I am God’s gift to the world (which is SO not true :)) or I find myself thinking that I am despicable…how could God ever use me? (this second option is much more realistic...)

But when I stand in front of high school students every day…when I share what I know about the Bible and Biology…when I learn with them about things we both don’t know…I think, “There must be someone better for this job.”

And so, yet again, God leads me back to His Word for wisdom.

“Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competency comes from God.” II Corinthians 3:5

“…We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired even of life. Indeed, in our hearts we felt the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead.” II Corinthians 1:8-9

Being competent in God. Relying on God.

W. Ian Thomas learned this in his life, and his words are always an encouragement to me:
“It just came from every area of God’s Word, and very kindly and very lovingly the Lord seemed to make it plain to me that night, through my tears of bitterness: ‘You see, for seven years, with utmost sincerity, you have been trying to live for Me, on My behalf, the life that I have been waiting for seven years to live through you. I have been there the whole time. All the things you have been pleading for, all the things for which you have been asking, have been yours since the day seven years ago, at your request and invitation, I came into your heart at that Crusader boys’ camp; but you see, although you have given mental consent to the truth that I have been in your heart, and have accepted it as a theory, you have lived totally ignoring the fact. You have been busy trying to do for Me all that I can only do through you. Now supposing I am your life, and you begin to accept it as fact, then I am your strength! You have been pleading and begging for that for seven years. I am your victory in every area of your life, if you want it!’” (Edman, V.R. They Found the Secret. 1984)

So, it’s true! There is someone better for my job.

Jesus.

Am I letting Him live His life through me?

Luke 6:45 says, “For out of the overflow of his heart, his mouth speaks.” What is in my heart? Am I filling it with other things (like complaining or anger) that come out instead of Christ when I am squeezed? Or, can I truly say an Amen to this verse: “As they make music they will sing, ‘All my fountains are in You.’” (Psalm 87:7)?

May His words, wisdom, and joy flow out of my life…because my heart is filled with nothing less than Jesus.

And when we're talking about Jesus, inadequacy is never a problem.

He does everything well.

Running

“Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever.” I Corinthians 9:24-25

My swim season is officially over. Hard to believe that the year is flying by so quickly! I Corinthians 9:24-25 was our theme verse of the year…because running and swimming are so interchangeable. (haha). But looking at the verse again –it’s so applicable in all of life – not just sports.

Running to get the prize.

Olympic athlete’s crowns/medals will only last so long…but am I working for the prize that really matters?

Last night, I was reading All Things For Good by Thomas Watson, and was blown away by this section (now, keep in mind, this was first published in 1663):

“The wicked are swift…in sin. And do we creep like snails in religion? Shall impure sinners do the devil more service than we do Christ? Shall they make more haste to a prison, than we do to a kingdom? Are they ever weary of sinning and are we weary of praying? Have we not a better Master than they? Are not the paths of virtue pleasant? Is there not joy in the way of duty, and heaven at the end? The activity of the sons of Belial in sin is a spur to the godly to make them mend their pace, and run the faster to heaven.”

It is quite a shame when we portray the gospel…when we portray Christ…as something not worth our time and effort. When it seems to those watching us that Jesus isn't worth running after.

In the 2009 movie, To Save a Life, Jake looks around a youth group and asks them: “What’s the point of all this if you’re not going to let it change you?”

May we mend our pace. May we seek what really matters…not perishable things, such as silver or gold. May we RUN to Jesus.