When I was an incredibly curious, still in diapers, little one, I would toddle after Dad to help him "fix" things. Mom quickly learned to make sure I was dressed in outfits that Mom did not particularly love, since I would typically end up covered in more grease than even Dad! Some of my earliest memories include crawling under the Jeep with Dad to hand him tools, tighten bolts (Dad would then give it the last little "Dad tightness check" while bragging on my strength), or squat down so I could intently stare at some little part because Dad would tell me to watch it to make sure it didn't "run away." I trotted after Dad so often to help him repair buildings, vehicles, and the like so much, that some of my first words were "screw" and "bolt," and other similar words. I had complete faith that Dad could fix anything, from a car that would not start to a broken toy. And I was gonna help!
Today at church, Cole talked about how often we cheat God and others out of a blessing because we let fear control us. We choose to listen to the fear, and end up getting in the way, panicking instead of trusting God and following His plan. Instead of being the child watching the bolt so it does not get lost, or handing our father the right tool, we are scared of messing up or losing. We forget that God has a plan for us, and that nothing we fear is mightier than our God. We are so worried that we will lose the bolt we wasn't even charged with watching that we forget to hand our Father the wrench He is asking for. How often have you not spoken to someone God asked you to, citing reasons such as "They'll think I'm crazy," "I dont' want to offend someone," or "That would be weird, I'm not gonna do that..." Or what about the times when God asks us to step out on faith, trusting that He will provide when the job lays people off, health care costs a fortune, or not a single plan goes right? Or when we are literally called to put our life on the line like Esther? As Mordecai told her, "..who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this?" Maybe whatever God is calling you to do, whether it be big or small, is why you are here at this moment. Think of David facing Goliath. David was considered to be an insignificant youth, and Goliath stood over 9' tall and had been fighting since he was David's age or younger. But David did not allow Goliath's size and skill, his own lack of experience, other's criticism and discouragement, or, frankly, common sense keep him from the path God had laid out for him. God called him to slay a giant, and David did so with ease because he had complete faith in God's deliverance and victory. I use to have that kind of faith, fully believing that God would take care of everything, just like my Dad could fix everything... where did that faith go? Now I worry about how to pay for medications, stress over events that have not even happened yet, and likely won't, or let doubt creep in when others say something is not my strength, someone else is better suited. Every so often that strong faith shows itself- but it isn't constant. Why do I let fear or concern over others' thoughts, or worry over things I can't control affect me so much? If it is meant to be, God will bring it to pass. But as Mordecai cautioned Esther, "...Think not with thyself that thou shalt escape in the king's house, more than all the Jews. For if thou altogetherest holdest thy peace at this time, then shall there be enlargement and deliverance arise to the Jews from another place; but thou and they father's house shall be destroyed: and who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this?" When we follow God's plan, He blesses us more than we could ever dream. Even if the blessing does not come in this life, following God's will is its own reward, and God does not forget our faithfulness and trust. Esther became a Queen so that she would be in the right place at the right time to have the right person listen to her to rescue the Jews. Due to her courage, she is credited with being the one God used to save the Jews from genocide at that time. She was born an ordinary girl, orphaned young, and raised by Mordecai. God placed her in a scary situation, ripped from her home, dragged to the palace, brought to the king for him to do with her as he pleased, so that she could gain the king's favor. And when her life and the lives of all the Jews were threatened, the king was enraged and a solution was found to save all. Sometimes what God asks us to trust and follow Him through seems small enough it won't have an impact, we seem too ordinary to make any kind of difference, or someone else would be a better choice, but God chooses you and me despite that. He has a plan, and it will all work out for His glory if we choose faith over fear, trust over doubt, and obediance over running away (I call them Jonah moments). God has a plan- and who are we, the creation made from dust, to act like we know better than the Creator of us? The creation is not greater than its Creator. We definitely tend to minimize God, amplify ourselves, and let fear make us frozen. But remember- God calls you his masterpiece. He loves you and will take care of you. I look back and think of so many situations that were hopeless that led to a lot of growth, and blessings I beyond my wildest dreams. When I was in kidnergarten I had a t-shirt that said, "I know I'm special 'cause God don't make no junk!" God loves you more than you can fathom, you are his masterpiece, not junk. God looks at you and sees one of His favorite creations, a most beloved son or daughter, and probably chuckles at your attempt to tighten that screw with the wrong end of the screwdriver. A Father that loves that much is someone to trust. He will take care of us, protect us, and love us no matter how far away we run, or how often we lose that bolt.
