Acts 22:10 – “‘What shall I do, Lord?’ I asked. “‘Get up,’ the Lord said, ‘and go into Damascus. There you will be told all that you have been assigned to do.’
“…go into Damascus. There you will be told all that you have been assigned to do.” Something to notice is that Jesus did not say “please go” and He did not say that Paul will be asked to do his assignments. Jesus said “go” and that Paul will be told what he has to do. No pleading. No mollycoddling, no “I hope you will do as I hope you will.” God does no plead with men but only directs him, for the person’s own good. Should the direction of God be rejected it is not to consternation of God but to the peril of the man. The will of God will be done, by use of one person or another, or by divine intervention. We must remember that God loves us and also we should remember that He needs us for nothing. None of us helped Him create all of creation! Directing us to do something is like a father asking a young son to help dig a big ditch. The child may only be able to get one full shovel of dirt dug while the Dad digs out the whole ditch. The Dad then rewards the son with praise for his part in digging the ditch. He tells the son that “they” dug the ditch. The son feels tremendous pleasure and value in helping his Dad. The Dad did not need the son to help. The Dad provided the son with everything that he needed to dig and the son only provided his willingness. The Dad could have done all the work by himself. But in allowing the son to help he builds his relationship with his son and he builds his son, and he builds his son’s relationship with him. God does the same for us. He doesn’t “need” our help, but He allows us to help for our own good. Everything God directs us to do is the bidding of God but let’s not be deceived, anything God asks us to do is Him blessing us. Yes, we do Kingdom work, but God has dug the ditch.
Jesus said that those who love Him will obey Him (John 14:14). Yes, Jesus said that we are His friends, but in John 15:14 He gave further understanding on being His friend when He said “You are my friends if you do what I command.” You see a person who loves their king will do anything for their king, even if it brings them hardship. So it is with Jesus. We belong to Him only if we love Him and what He has done for us. John 14:14 clearly gives a very clear indicator of whether we love Him and, that is, if we will obey Him. And along with that, we will be eternally thankful and respectful to Him for all that He has done for us. We will do all that He commands to the best of our ability. The son did his best for his Dad and was rewarded for that. It was the son’s heart that the Dad looked upon and was shaping and not his ability. So it is with God, He looks on our heart (1 Samuel 16:7). He can enable anyone, or anything, to do His will (Numbers 22:21-33, Luke 19:40). Anything that we do in God’s service is because He has gifted us with the ability. God want’s our heart. If God tells us to do something, not asking “pretty please” or when we “have the time,” then God is giving us the great honor of doing it promptly and to the best of our ability. We do it in order to serve our God and King in a way that reveals that our heart is right with Him (Luke 6:45) and we desire to appropriately honor Him. God is God and there are no others beside Him (1 Samuel 2:2). Those who think God should “ask” and not “tell” need to check their heart. As for us who love God, when God directs us then we joyously jump up and run for the honor of serving Him (Micah 7:7 “But as for me, I watch in hope for the Lord, I wait for God my Savior; my God will hear me.”) God deserves no less. Praise God! Oh Family, sing and say praises to our God!
Psalm 150:6 – Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord!
Micah 7:7 – But as for me, I watch in hope for the Lord, I wait for God my Savior; my God will hear me.
Micah 6:8 – He has shown You, O man, what is good; And what does the Lord require of You but to do justly, to love mercy, And to walk humbly with Your God.
Numbers 6:24-26 “The Lord bless you and keep you; 25 the Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you; 26 the Lord turn His face toward you and give you peace.”