How many who have been born-again are praying and searching for ways for the Lord to use them, and how many are hoping that He never calls upon them to do so?
In days gone by the saying about certain people who could not stop speaking of our Lord Jesus Christ, who sought out every opportunity to serve Him, in any way that He chose to call them were called people on fire for the Lord. If there are any embers smoldering in many who call themselves by the name of Christian in these days, I would be surprised.
I have lived in this area for over two decades now, and I can only recall three times that anyone has ever initiated a conversation with me about the Lord, and two of those times were by the same person. And I am including here many whom I know that attend church on a regular basis. “Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me.” (Isaiah 6:8)
Is that you? Have you sought the face of God in this regard, have you asked Him to use you, no matter in what way He determines is best for His glory? I do not believe the excuse of “I didn’t hear you when you called,” is going to work very well on your day of accounting, if God speaks, it is a guarantee that you will hear Him, if indeed you are one of His. He calls, we answer, and the answer is always to be, “Yes Lord, Thy will be done.”
This free ride that many believe they have entered into does not exist, there are no people that have been crucified with Christ that are not used by the Almighty for His glory, all who are chosen are called to serve. It matters not if it is behind the pulpit of a church, or as my lovely wife is, typing up these letters for me, the Most High will be glorified, and if you are not doing that, then your salvation is most definitely in question.
How many people do you personally know that attend your church that have never once started a conversation with you about the Lord? How many show up each Sunday, perform the required ritual, but the only time they open their mouths to praise the Most High is when they are singing? These fear to call upon the Lord to be profitable for His Kingdom, for they believe that it will cost them more than what they want to give. To Him who gave all for us, they seek to hide from, they hope they will not be noticed, they hope that He never attempts to convict their souls beyond perhaps placing a little extra in the plate as it passes by or bringing something to the potluck luncheon.
You know them, you have met them, but have you mentioned anything on this wise to them?
We are called to reach out to the lost, an easy enough task when many of them are sitting in the pews all around you. There is a verse you can respond with to those that, if you attempt to do so, call you judgmental, call you a Pharisee or tell you to take the beam out of your own eye first, when you did that a long time ago. Simply repeat 1 Peter 3:15 to them, “But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:”
They will fume, they will fuss and huff and puff, because you have just put them on the spot. To say to the Lord, “Use me,” and mean it can be the most frightening thing we may ever do, but when you are asked that same verse, you will have an answer. There are pretenders sitting all around you every Sunday morning, if you can recognize them, love them enough to confront them.
