STRETCH

Have you thanked Him?

Have you praised Him?

Have you made it your priority to agree and cooperate with Him today?

Have you taken that deep breath and listened for what He has for you today?

1 Timothy 2:1 (The Message)

The first thing I want you to do is pray. Pray every way you know how, for everyone you know.

 

“Complacency is a deadly foe of all spiritual growth.”

― A.W. Tozer

“The world needs Christians who don't tolerate the complacency of their own lives.” ― Francis Chan

 

Exercise daily in God – 1 Timothy 4:7(MSG)

 

No complacency today.

No just going through the motions.

Time to exercise.

I even mentioned it earlier in the week

 

Shake things up.

Divorce from the routine.

Get out of the comfort zone.

GOD would love to stretch you a little today.

 

Remember?

A saint's life is in the hands of God like a bow and arrow in the hands of an archer. God is aiming at something the saint cannot see, and He stretches and strains, and every now and again the saint says--'I cannot stand anymore.' God does not heed, He goes on stretching till His purpose is in sight, then He lets fly. Trust yourself in God's hands.― Oswald Chambers

 

I will quickly admit.  I am a product of routine not a fan of the "stretch".  I wake up most days without an alarm.  The process is pretty rote right up to the time I jump in the truck.  But here of late GOD has been putting me in some situations that are stretching me.  Sometimes GOD has even gone so far as to “interrupt” my calendar in order to provide a lesson, drop me in a circumstance or to get me to think a little differently about where I am going and what I am doing.

 

And like I said, I am not a fan of the stretching.

But I know if I trust GOD the purpose will become clear.

And it isn’t just me.  GOD has been stretching my friends too.

Case in point, Tuesday I get a VERY excited phone call from a Champion from Mason. 

 

She for a nearly a year has been “settling” for her routine.  And mind you her “routine” was nothing bad.  She was and is a faithful servant of Christ.  She is supremely talented and energetic at what she does.

 

Yet here of late GOD has put her in the crossbow. 

First, with a vision for way to serve women differently. 

Then with “an encounter” or two or TWENTY to move the needle further. 

Then an opportunity presents itself and her ARCHER is pulling things tauter and tauter.  Then more encounters; more stretching.

Suddenly there is provision for her dream.  

Then folks start asking her for direction and ways to serve. 

There even is a first donation made. 

Things are getting “tighter and tighter” and the purpose is becoming clearer!

 

She said it herself.  She was “fine” doing what she always did, serving like she always served.  She was comfortable bordering on complacent.  But because SHE TRUSTS GOD so deeply, she recalled and applied this passage…

Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, "Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?" And I said, "Here am I. Send me!" – Isaiah 6:8 (MSG)

 

Man oh man am I inspired by her spirit and courage!  And for what GOD plans to do with her pending “launch”, “THE NEST”, I am very excited to watch and participate!

 

So let me ask:

Is GOD tugging at you today?

Maybe you have been feeling a little restless.  Maybe you too have been trying to stay out of the crossbow.

Perhaps today is the day you ACT; to be “exercised by GOD, to trust GOD that the STRETCHING while uncomfortable will be deeply satisfying and purposeful upon launch.

 

For:

“Iron rusts from disuse; stagnant water loses its purity and in cold weather becomes frozen; even so does inaction sap the vigor of the mind. So we must stretch…anything less is a sin against both God and man.” ― Leonardo da Vinci

 

I love you all!

Opportunities for Hope (Champions Charge)