Hebrews 11 has often been referred to as the “Heroes Hall of Faith.” The writer gives us a snapshot of a number of the Old Testament saints and what God accomplished through them because they believed Him and relied on Him. Some of those mentioned are Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, Gideon, and others. I wouldn’t be surprised if some of you look at that list of people of faith, who accomplished great things for the glory of God and have thought “I could never be that effective for the LORD. In James 5:17-18, we read “Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain; and it did not rain on the land for three years and six months. And, he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain and the earth produced its fruit.”
Notice that James was a man with a nature just like ours, but he was greatly used for the glory of God. Each of those mentioned in Hebrews was individuals with a nature just like ours; but they believed God, trusted His word, relying on Him, and acted in faith. The result — a sovereign God, who is all-knowing, always present, all-powerful, and unchanging, honored their faith and accomplished great things through them.
Let me draw your attention to another statement later in Hebrews. In verse 34 we read “Out of weakness, were made strong.” Each of these that we have mentioned was weak in and of themselves, but they were made strong by the God they trusted in and relied on. The same can be true of you and me. We who are weak can be made strong by Almighty God. The Apostle Paul declared, in his letter to the Philippians said “I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me.” (Phil. 4:13)
In Ephesians 3:20 Paul wrote — “Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us.”
In Romans 8:37 the Apostle wrote, “Yet in all these things, we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.”
Years ago, a young shoe salesman heard a mature man of God make the following statement – “The world has yet to see what God could accomplish through one person totally given over to God.” That young man said to himself, “God helping me, I will be that man.” That was Dwight L. Moody who influenced at least two continents for Christ. “Out of weakness, we’re made strong.” At one point in his ministry, Moody declared – “We may easily be too big (in ourselves) for God to use, but never too small.”
Hudson Taylor, founder of the China Island Mission wrote, “The LORD was looking for a man weak enough to use, and He found me.”
I would imagine that most who are reading this meditation and know the LORD personally, would really like to be effective for the Savior. Is it because we are weak, that we are not being fruitful? That may be true for some, but I think for many it is not weakness, but a subtle resistance to the will of God.
When God called Moses to go back to Egypt and lead his people out of bondage, he gave one reason after another why he couldn’t, and finally, he said, “Oh my LORD, send by thy hand (of someone else) whom Thou wilt send…” He really didn’t want to do it.
When the Angel of the LORD appeared to Gideon and revealed how He wanted to use him to overcome the Midianites, he had one excuse after another and finally said “Show me a sign.” He was resisting the will of God.
I was in my teen years when God made it very clear to me how He wanted me to use my life. It was different than what I had in mind. I couldn’t possibly see how God could use me, but He brought me to a place where I yielded my will to His, and ever since His strength has been far greater than mine. It is such a privilege to experience Him working through me.
You too can know the joy of His strength in place of your weakness. Instead of resisting the promptings of the Holy Spirit, may each of us respond like Isaiah, when the LORD said “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” Isaiah who had just experienced a humbling and cleansing encounter with the LORD said “Here am I! Send me.”
Have you … will you … even now surrender to God’s will for your life and how He wants to use you and say with Isaiah — “Here am I! Send me.”
For His glory, Pastor Leonard
