2 TIMOTHY 2:20-21 – Now in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver but also of wood and clay, some for honorable use, some for dishonorable. Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from what is dishonorable, he will be a vessel for honorable use, set apart as holy, useful to the master of the house, ready for every good work.
THEME OF THE DAY. DO WE WANT TO BE USED BY THE LORD? The words ending today’s scripture are the heart cries of every child of God – a vessel for honorable use, set apart as holy, useful to the master of the house, ready for every good work. We won’t find ourselves in a conversation with a Christian and ask the question, “Do you want God to use you?” and receive the following answer, “No, not really. My life is full. I am pretty set in my relationship with the Lord. I just live my life and He can use me if He wants, but I don’t have this deep passion to be used greatly by Him.” I know it sounds ridiculous to even consider a Christian thinking such thoughts. But in reality, there are a lot of “side line” Christians in our world and churches. They may not say, “I don’t want to be used” but they live like they don’t want to be used. It shows in two obvious areas. Let’s explore them today.
First, Christians who really don’t want God to use them much in their lives fill their free time with personal desires and pursuits. Now there is certainly nothing wrong with involvement in good wholesome hobbies, activities, events, and pleasures, but if we find ourselves immediately filling up our available time with things of the world, we need some spiritual evaluation of priorities. Our first thought should be to the Lord and His interests. If we are quick to occupy all our discretionary time with fleshly wants and desires, with never a thought or action on how to use our God-given gifts for spiritual service to His people, we are saying by our living, “My priorities in life are me, not others, not the Lord, but me.” The use of our time is one of the clearest indicators of whether or not we want God to use us for His glory.
Another indicator Christians aren’t serious about being used by the Lord in fruitful spiritual service is their lack of prayer. When we don’t feel like praying, pray. When we are tired and tempted to neglect prayer, pray. When we are so busy in life and it is easy to not stop for prayer, pray. When the Lord feels far away and praying seems more mechanical than alive, pray. Never make an excuse to not pray. Never allow the busyness of life keep us from prayer. Prayer is the lifeblood of the Christian and we learn to pray by praying. Our Lord Jesus lived in the spirit of prayer, and so must we. A prayer-less Christian will be a joyless, useless Christian. And it will only be the praying Christian God uses because the praying Christian is in fellowship with Him who uses His child for His glory.
Yes, all Christians should want to be used by the Lord, but all Christians are not being used by the Lord. Are we? If not, check out what is getting the best of our time and how alive our prayer lives are. These are the areas which show us our true desire to be used by the Lord and if we are being used by the Lord.
PRAYER: “Father, may I be emptied of myself to be filled with Your Spirit as a vessel fit for the Master’s use.”
QUOTE: “God cannot fill His people with Himself until His people are emptied of themselves.”