My Father Worketh and I Work. . .

I heard a minister tell a story in a sermon a few weeks ago how someone felt totally inadequate to do what they were called to do by the Lord. They felt as if they didn't have the strength or the resources to complete the task.

When the Lord Jesus was speaking on the mountainside to thousands of people, and realized they were famished, He didn't ask to see those who might have been great cooks. He didn't ask the disciples to find those in the crowd who might have been wealthy and could have procured a great amount of food. He didn't ask them to find the strongest individuals who could carry large amounts of victuals back to the mountain. He simply told His disciples to feed the multitude. When they replied that they only had a few loaves and fishes, He blessed the food, broke it and abundantly fed all with baskets left over. He didn't ask for any help from the multitude because His confidence was completely in His Father to multiply whatever was provided in the moment. "My Father worketh hitherto, and I work. (John 5:17)" This was the dynamic by which the Lord Jesus did all that He had to do. His Father worked and He worked. This is the dynamic for our lives as well.

When the Lord calls us to a work, He does not want us to be the great strength or power in the work, if so the glory would then rightly go to us. He wants us to be the vessel through which His mighty power can shine. "But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us. (2 Corinthians 4:7)" The more pitted and marked the vessel, the more the Light inside will shine through. If we are approaching a work or a ministry with the prideful heart that we have great strength and ability to complete it, then perhaps we need to quiet ourselves away and seek in whose power we are trying to do the work. . .the Lord's power, or our own.

". . .Be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble. Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God,
that he may exalt you in due time." I Peter 5: 5,6