Given December26, 2010

Have you ever asked Jesus to do something for you?  Has He ever spoken back to you like a father would to a kid?  Well, He does me that way and it reminds me of

 some interactions I’ve had with my grandkids.  I’ll say something like, “Let’s go out and see if any strawberries are ripe.”  And they may say, (mind you 5 or 6 years old), “Pawpaw, put my shoes on.” to which I reply, “Put your own shoes on, you can do it.”  Then proceed to “help” them do it themselves.  Like I said, Jesus talks to me like that sometimes.

What He wants to get across to me is that He’s given me the  instruction, the authority, and the power to do many things myself but I keep asking Him to do it for me.  Can you imagine a 30 year-old asking his dad to put his shoes on for him so he could go outside?  Ridiculous!  But that’s the way we do with God many times.  Jesus said, “These things you shall do and even greater things than these..” (John 14:12).  How?  With faith in Him. I wrote about an example of this I heard from a sermon and you can read it HERE.  Jesus also told his diciples, “Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you.” (Luke 10:19).  He s made that same authority and power available tyo us too but, just like a father and his child, He won’t let us use it by ourselves until we are ready.  That’s why He “helps” us; it’s part of our training.

So when Jesus tells me to, “do it yourself”, I say, “OK father, but will you help me though?”  And He says, “Sure Son, I’ll help.  But soon, you’ll be able to do it yourself.”

Does God talk to you this way?  Is He encouraging you to do it yourself?  Do you want to grow up so He can use you for Kingdom work?  Comment please.