Big Picture

Have you ever driven a car with wheels that were out of line? You cannot keep it in the center of your lane. It pulls to the left, it pulls to the right. Nothing you can do but fight, fight, fight–the cheer of everyone who drives a car out of alignment. In ministry, nothing is more important than alignment. And that’s why alignment is the key word in this issue of High Calling.

A friend sent me the words below, from Sunday School Times:

Straining, driving effort does not accomplish the work God gives man to do. Only God Himself, who always works without strain, and who never overworks, can do the work that He assigns to His children. When they restfully trust Him to do it, it will be well done and completely done. The way to let Him do His work through us is to partake of Christ so fully, by faith, that He more than fills our life.

A man who had learned this secret once said: “I came to Jesus and I drank, and I do not think that I shall ever be thirsty again. I have taken for my motto, ‘Not overwork, but overflow’; and already it has made all the difference in my life.”

There is no effort in overflow. It is quietly irresistible. It is the normal life of omnipotent and ceaseless accomplishment into which Christ invites us today and always.

Aligning ourselves with God’s Word and God’s purpose for our lives takes the angst out of following Him. Be honest, have there not been times where you have fought, fought, fought for things, only to find out there was a lot of you in the fight…but little of Jesus? ONLY GOD can accomplish His work through us; we cannot manufacture or produce it in our own flesh. God’s Word and God’s purpose should drive every single thing we do. When we align with Him, we have a clear straight path ahead because we’re not following a set of rules or a road others have suggested we travel; we’re following HIM.

When we align with God, we can EXPECT His blessing. It is a done deal. His smile and anointing will be on us because we have taken His yoke but have allowed Him to be the One pulling! Resting in this will keep us moving straight ahead, not veering to the left or right.

What do you need to align with God to see His blessing? What has He been saying to you that you have dismissed? Do you believe you can get to God’s blessing without doing it His way? Does your ministry need money? God owns it all. Do you need additional staff? God knows who they are. Do you need specific board/committee members with specific skills? God gave those skills to be used for Him! I challenge you to think and pray about these things. Pray about what our High Calling verse really means to you (and write it in your prayer journal):

“I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:14 KJV).

Lord, may we ever be about YOU, YOUR WAY, and YOUR PURPOSE. Don’t let us veer into thinking it is up to us to make things happen. Don’t allow us to fight our way through life! Help us to rest in Your calm assurance that You are the One pulling. Thank You for helping us align with Your Word and Your purpose in our lives! In the matchless name of Jesus, AMEN.