Here we are, coming to the end of a very busy season. What started out with planning and orchestrating a wonderful Thanksgiving feast for friends and family --bearing in mind those unable to feast (maybe even volunteering to make feasting or, at least, eating possible) --morphed into finding and purchasing the "perfect gift" --in honor of God's Perfect Gift, of course! Surrounding all of that preparation were lights and music and walk-thrus and nativities and dinners out and parties --and everyday life. Clothes still required washing and the boss demanded our presence. Children needed to be tucked and snow needed to be shoveled. It's exhausting! Placing all of this "extra stuff" in our schedules to commemorate the Prince of Peace come to bring us something more perfect than the temporal, something more fulfilling than our full bellies and full schedules.
So, the question I pose today is this: How much of what you did was done out of willingness? I ask because, a couple weeks ago, in the midst of the chaos that was Christmas celebration preparation, I received a text asking me to lead our congregation in a few songs at worship that morning. I replied that I would. The response I received was, "I appreciate your willingness to serve." BAM! The words tore through me like a hot knife through butter. My willingness to serve. Was it willingness? Was any of this preparation and above-and-beyond service willingness? Shouldn't it be willingness? Or is it enough that it is ability, fearfully, clumsily handed up to God that He might make it into willingness? Maybe it's a bit of both.
Willingness is not ability; ability is not willingness. One might be willing to manage church grounds, but a heart condition prevents that means of service; willingness supersedes God-given resources. One might be the picture of health, possessing the ability to mow and rake and spread yard after yard of mulch, but be utterly unwilling to do so. As with the almost totality of our relationship with God, the answer lies in our hearts. Are we willing to comb through our closets, our schedules, our physical assets, our talents, and relinquish the surplus that we might bring great glory to our King? Are we willing to pray dangerous prayers, asking God to heal us so that we might serve with all we have; asking God to take from us that others might have; asking God to put His finger on whatever it is He requires from us, that He might be glorified? Are we willing to forego those traditions and concerns that keep us from serving and honoring Him as we are called to do? Or are we able but unwilling? If that is the case, are we at least able to --on a more empirical level --acknowledge our surplus and, out of reverence, out of a desire for change, out of a hope that our heart will be transformed to one of willing and unconditional surrender, place that surplus in the hands of the One who is before all things and holds all things together? Are we at least able to take inventory of our resources and see what the Lord will do with whatever we, in good faith, give Him? Lord Jesus, you know I'm having a difficult time with this person, but I can pray; I'm going to do that out of obedience to You and in the hope You will move. Or, Lord Jesus, I will not go another day angry and resentful over my disability; I ask You to change my body or change my heart.
God is faithful even when we are not. He can make willing hearts able just as He can make able hearts willing! What will you give Him today?
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