Then they compelled a certain man, Simon a Cyrenian, the father of Alexander and Rufus, as he was coming out of the country and passing by, to bear His cross. Have you ever experienced the thrill of knowing that you are exactly where God wants you to be, doing exactly what He wants you to do? Have you ever experienced the terrifying feeling of leaving everything behind to obey Him? Being used by God is an exciting and fulfilling honor, but it's not for wimps. We can never know exactly how God will use us -- an exhilerating and terrifying thought -- but we can be ready. If God calls you to do something in the next 30 seconds, the next 30 days, or the next 30 years, will you be ready? A certain man, Simon, never expected how God might use him on a certain Friday afternoon. But the Lord had a plan... and Simon was ready. Traveling through Jerusalem on his way home to Cyrene, Simon encountered a commotion in the streets. He could hear loud voices well before he approached the scene, but as he made his way through the crowd, imagine his surprise when the loud voices were suddenly directed at him. Roman guards commanded Simon to pick up and carry a cross for a man who was so beaten, so exhausted, and so whipped that He was unrecognizable as a human being. But Simon surely knew who this man was -- if not from the man's widespread fame, then from the people shouting His name. This was Jesus. Imagine the surprise, the fear, the honor, the sadness Simon must have felt, all at once. He didn't hesitate, though; he dropped everything, picked up the cross, and carried it the rest of the way. Simon never could have imagined he would carry the cross that would bear the sacrifice of the Savior of the world, who would bring salvation to millions throughout the centuries. He never could have planned it; he never could have even dreamed it. The Lord brought him to just the right place at just the right time, presented him with a challenge, and Simon didn't say "no." Why do we make life so complex? Do we know what today, tomorrow, or the next day will bring? No, but if our mindset is one of trust, and our attitude is one of obedience to the Lord, then we can relax and go through the day expecting Him to work in and through us. Too often, when we ask God to show us His will, we look for some miraculous sign to determine our next step. We pray so hard and search so diligently for an answer. But in reality, many times God is telling us to just keep walking and He'll bring along the things, the people, and the circumstances that need to be in our lives. May I encourage you to keep your heart soft and your plans sensitive each day to whatever the Lord brings your way. Like Simon, be willing to abandon your plans in obedience to the Lord. Be prepared for surprises, not surprised because you weren't prepared. Each morning, simply ask God to use you in whatever way He wants, and to give you the strength for whatever it is. |
Devotions with Emotion
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