Why God Gives Us What He Gives Us

by Kevin Burton

   The strength God supplies you, the material resources, the breath of life itself, were given for a reason.

   Service.

   There is joy in the Lord, but we as Christians  are not on a joyride here on earth. We have a job to do.

   “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them” (Eph 2:10 NKJV, emphasis mine).

   Think of the millions of lost souls, living on the edge of eternal disaster, thinking life on earth is all there is or will be.

  Now think of the word “untold.” We use untold in one sense to mean uncountable, millions of lost souls. How tragic to think they will also be untold in the sense of not told the good news, the gospel of salvation through faith in Jesus Christ.

   I used to pray regularly for chances to witness, but such prayers are infrequent for me these days. If you are like me, let’s renew our commitment to service to God. 

   Service is the message and reminder today as we hear once again from Alistair Begg, speaker on the Truth For Life radio ministry.

   “All the strength supplied to us by our gracious God is meant for service, not for indulgence or pride,” Begg writes, then points to a story from 1 Kings, chapter 19.

   “When the prophet Elijah found the cake baked on the coals and the jar of water placed at his head as he lay under the juniper tree, he was not being given a special treat that he could lie back and enjoy–he was being sustained so that he could fulfill his responsibilities for the next forty days and forty nights,” Begg writes.

   “When the Master invited the disciples to come and eat with Him, after the meal was over He said to Peter, ‘Feed my sheep,’ then added, ‘Follow me.’”

   “It is the same for us; we eat the bread of heaven so that we can expend our strength in the Master’s service.,” Begg writes. “We come to the table and eat of the paschal lamb in a spirit of readiness, so that we may leave as soon as we have satisfied our hunger.”

   “Some Christians are for living on Christ but are not so anxious to live for Christ. Earth should be a preparation for heaven; and heaven is the place where saints feast most and work most. They sit down at the table of our Lord, and they serve Him day and night in His temple. They eat of heavenly food and offer perfect service.”

   “Believer, in the strength you daily gain from Christ, work for Him,” Begg writes. “Some of us have a lot to learn concerning the design of our Lord in giving us His grace. We are not to hide the precious grains of truth without giving that truth an opportunity to grow: We must sow it and water it.”

   “Why does the Lord send the rain upon the thirsty earth and give the sunshine? Is it not in order that sun and rain may help the fruits of the earth to yield food for us? Even so the Lord feeds and refreshes our souls so that we may use our renewed strength in the promotion of His glory.”

   “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.” (Matt. 28: 19-20 NKJV).