Pick Me! Pick Me! Pick Me!

 

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"God will meet you where you are in order to take you where He wants you to go." ~ Tony Evans

Abe Lincoln lost his bid for state legislature in 1832, Speaker in 1838, Congress in 1843, a senate election in 1854 and again in 1858, as well as the nomination for vice president in 1956.   His business failed in 1833.  His sweetheart died in 1835 and he had a nervous breakdown the next year.

Oh yeah,then he ended slavery.

✋David, the most famous king in the Bible, started out as a lowly shepherd boy, scoffed at by his brothers when he showed up on the battlefield where Goliath was taunting everyone, and feared for his life as he was pursued by King Saul for several years out of jealousy.  He had an adulterous relationship, had the husband killed, and was a really bad parent.  

✋Then through his lineage the Redeemer of the human race was born - our Savior Jesus.  

✋ Remember when you used to play games in gym class and there were two captains who took turns picking people for their team?  Remember the fear that rose up hoping you wouldn't be last to be picked?  

Yea - that same pit in your stomach when you aren't invited to a gathering that other friends were asked to, or when someone doesn't answer a text? 

✋The same anxiety when you're not chosen for the position at work, though you feel you are totally qualified for it?  Or you're just feeling like you're a bad mom?

Then there's the all too familiar rejection of love.  How long did it take you to recover from the break-up of your first love?

Rejection is a real fear, as painful as physical pain, according to one study.  And can be debilitating. 

✋But just like Honest Abe and King David, God doesn't deem us worthy based on the world's criteria.  He uses all events in our lives to prepare us for future purposes.

"For the Lord sees not as many sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart."  1 Sam 16:7

Well I don't know about you but my heart can be pretty ugly sometimes; I don't want God deciding whether to use me or not based on that.  

"The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?" Jer 17:9

✋But... God...

"Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right Spirit within me." Psalm 51:10

"I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new Spirit in you.  I will take out your stony stubborn heart, and give you a tender responsive heart." Ezek 36:26

✋God deems us worthy because of what He did, not because of anything we do or don't do.  And just like David, who God called "a man after His own heart", we can be in a friendship with God in spite of us being totally human.

When we are unkind, ugly, proud, selfish, insecure, or are the recipient of these behaviors, we can go to God, like David did, and have Him make sense of it for us.  We can seek forgiveness for ourselves or seek to be able to forgive someone, because God can use anything for our good and His glory.  

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✋He uses our failures and our rejections, because He understands what it's like to be rejected (John 15:18-27).  He uses it to give us a "tender and responsive heart".  

Looking Down From the Cross - Mavis Moon

We can be used to love on others because we aren't always loved on by this world & we know how it hurts.  

✋Who do you want me to see today, Lord?  I know You see me, God, and I want to be used by You today. So please, Lord, pick me!

✙ Lord, You have cleansed us from all unrighteousness, washing our feet in humility.  You call us 'worthy'; You've made us Your new creation. You guide us with Your rod and Your staff to protect and comfort us.  Help us to be instruments to others so they may know about You. Amen.