The Word
“But Moses said to God, ‘Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?’ And God said, ‘I will be with you. And this will be the sign to you that it is I who have sent you: When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you will worship God on this mountain'” (
“The LORD turned to [Gideon] and said, ‘Go in the strength you have and save Israel out of Midian’s hand. Am I not sending you?’ ‘But Lord,’ Gideon asked, ‘how can I save Israel? My clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my family.’ The LORD answered, ‘I will be with you, and you will strike down all the Midianites together'” (
“The word of the LORD came to me [Jeremiah], saying, ‘Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.’ ‘Ah, Sovereign LORD,’ I said, ‘I do not know how to speak; I am only a child.’ But the LORD said to me, ‘Do not say, “I am only a child.” You must go to everyone I send you to and say whatever I command you. Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you and will rescue you,’ declares the LORD” (
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The Backdrop
This devotional is the third of three. So, quick review: Two devotionals ago (God Contact: He Sees) we discovered that when we have contact with God, we can count on experiencing at least one, if not all, of these things:
Thing 1: God Sees. He sees your predicament, your despair, your need.
Thing 2: God Gives. He gives you what you need—grace, gifts, forgiveness.
Thing 3: God Calls. He calls you to join Him in His mission.
For now we’ll focus on Thing 3. God calls. Warning: Don’t let Thing 3 scare you.
The What
Do This:
The chunks of Scripture above show God making contact with three people (i.e., Moses, with whom we’ve become familiar during the past two devotionals). In each scene, we pick up the action right after God invited each person to join Him in His mission. (You may want to read the entire scene from your Bible.) Print out this devotional or the verses above. As you read the verses:
1. Circle each person’s response to God’s invitation.
2. Draw a box around God’s reaction to each person’s response.
Then This:
When it came to answering God’s call, what did these three have in common?
What’s the running theme in the way God responded each time?
Going Inward
Did you notice how inadequate each person felt? Yet God used them in miraculous ways. Here’s a recap of their careers:
1. Moses became known as the greatest Jewish leader of all time.
2. Gideon pulled off the biggest underdog upset of all time.
3. Jeremiah was a prophet who actually spoke for God. He gave us the coolest picture of how God feels whenever we blow it.
God tapped into why each person’s heart broke. Then He came to them with a plan. There’s a chance your heart breaks for something God cares about, too. Looking at the list below, circle something you care about—even if it’s just a little.
1. Friends who don’t know Jesus.
2. Mentally/physically challenged people.
3. Poverty or homelessness.
4. Those in Third World countries.
5. Senior adults lonely for company.
6. Widows, widowers or people dealing with grief. 7. Those with chronic illnesses.
8. Those in jail or detention centers.
9. People who are confused about God, who want to grow in their faith.
10. People addicted to alcohol or drugs.
11. Friends who make bad choices.
12. ________________________________
The So What
Take get hyper-specific about who and how you can help. For example, if you circled No. 6, write down the name of a widow or widower you know and ways you could help. If you’re nervous about how to do it, remember God’s reassuring words to Moses, Gideon and Jeremiah!
People/Situations What To Do
Many organizations exist to minister to the needs above. We’ve listed a few below, some of which may have local chapters in your area. Consider volunteering or organizing a fundraiser to help. A simple Web search can give you contact info.
Organizations
Hospice
Compassion International
The Salvation Army
Church on the Street Homeless Shelter/Rescue Mission
Assisted Living Facility
School Peer Counseling
Senior Adult Ministry
