Now is the time
As said by Jesus, we can do nothing of ourselves. And what a wonderful thing that is... we are able to let the people that we care for most, our futures and eternities rest in wholly capable and unconditionally loving hands.
Sometimes we cap the possibilities of our lives with human thinking: “I’ll just wait for this to happen first... or I just need this first...” But let us not negate the unique opportunities of the season each of us are in, and the different people God has made each of us to be in this very moment.
Do not wait “until you are older” or “more ready” to preach, use your talents or do what you have always thought about doing. 1st Timothy 4 verse 12 tells us “do not let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity.” Do not be afraid to live to full capacity! Listen to God’s lead - however that happens for you (prayer, reading, quiet time, nature) - and pray for his will to drive your life.
God does not call the equipped, he equips the called.
Each moment, we have a choice to step into God’s will. Jesus desired to live for God’s will because he knew it was genuinely better than his own will, just as it is better than ours. Following God’s will is the most exciting, productive and talent-utilising way of life. God wants to give you the largest joy (found in his presence) and desires for you to use the unique qualities he’s given to you SPECIFICALLY to do amazing things for Jesus’ family. His will is the ultimate destination on a journey that can start whenever you choose. He is and will be with you all the way.
In the words of Tim Keller: “God always answers your prayers in precisely the way you want them to be answered if you knew everything he knew”.
Now is the time - to be attentive to God’s touch, lead, presence and ACTIVE power. His power is alive today, just as it always has been. Jesus has risen and is alive right now! The power of the present moment is the only time it is actually possible for you to connect with God and Jesus. There is nothing that you can do to tangibly be in the presence of God in the past or the future. That is why now is literally always the time.
God is not waiting for your state of readiness to be full, for you to tend to his spiritual garden here on earth. Your spiritual passport dictates that you are a citizen of God’s kingdom and a visitor in residence on earth. Now is the time to be expectant! God is industrious, creative, and always making newness spring up (Isaiah 43 verse 19).
It is our Father’s great pleasure to use us as vessels. If we pray for it to be so, He will carve us to be like Jesus - selfless, compassionate, and judgement-free. God wants us to be moving vessels, not just sitting in the comfortable port but intentionally setting sail to shine Jesus’ light to anyone who steps into our presence. Our boundaries are limitless when we are being led by a limitless God!
Romans 13 verses 11 and 12: “And do this, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand. Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light.”