This past Sunday our pastor preached a sermon that I think was meant especially for me.  Do you ever have that experience?  It was as if he had been in our home for the past few weeks, knew what we were going through and facing, and preached a sermon meant to encourage us on a very personal level.  The sermon text was Zechariah 4 and the sermon was entitled:  God Empowers His People for His Service.

This passage tells about the vision or dream that God gave Zechariah concerning the lampstand and the olive tree.  God is doing a mighty work and He calls His people to be a part of that work.  Now, we know that we have God's complete word and that God always moves in concert with His Word.  God's word for us TODAY is powerful and is the ultimate living book.    However, in Zechariah's time, God was showing Zechariah a new thing and he does so through this vision of the lampstand and olive tree.  Take some time to read this passage and to familiarize yourself with this vision.

Our pastor shared that there are three steps in God's empowering people for service.

1.  God empowers his people for service through the vision (Word) that God gives them.....by God's word.  Again, God always moves in concert with His word.  Zechariah saw a lampstand representing the light in the holy place.  When you read the vision you will notice how the lamp was structured.  It was connected directly to an olive tree so that it received a continuous flow of oil from the tree to the lamp.  In Zechariah's day, God was showing him that the encouragement Zechariah needed to rebuild the temple could be found in God himself.  How much more true for us today!  Our encouragement, our strength, our vision, should come from being directly connected to God's word, the ultimate "living book" and the book from which we hear from God himself.

John and I share a personal vision.  Sometimes this vision seems so big and even ambigous that it is hard to wrap our arms and minds around exactly what it means long term.  We want to help rebuild the spiritual foundation of the next generation.  John and I see it from different paradigms and perspectives because we are individuals.  However, our separate paradigms have this common vision.  That vision comes directly from the "living book" and the responsibilities that we feel God details for parents and teachers.  What vision or purpose do you feel like God has given you?

2. God empowers His people for service by God's spirit.  The only way God is glorified and that we cna serve him effectively is through HIS power.  When there are obstacles in our way.....God describes them as mountains in this passage, but He also describes them as being "leveled" and removed by HIS power in order for HIS purpose to be accomplished.  Doesn't He say:  "My grace is sufficient for you for MY strength is made perfect in YOUR weakness." 

3.  God empowers His people His service because He chooses to use God's people.  It's amazing to me that God chooses weak, frail vessels to do His work. God delights in using small and humble things so that it is evident that it is HIS power which is accomplishing HIS will and so that no one may boast before Him

God has called each of us to do specific things.  You know how I feel about that subject especially as it regards to children.  However, it applies to all of us.  God created each of us uniquely because he has a unique purpose and plan for each of us.  Sometimes what He has "called" us to do seems too challenging and there are too many obstacles in the way so that our human perspective tends to take over and we see only our weakness and we fail to focus on God's strength.  I'm so guilty of doing this....especially when there are things going on that I just can't seem to understand.  I seem to lose sight of God's sovereignty and the fact that He is in control and knows the BIG picture and His desired end result and I focus on trying to figure ou WHY things are happening they way they are happening.  I know I'm not the only to struggle with that as I have heard others describe and talk about the same feelings.  Even David stopped to ask God why and to ask God why he (David) was being asked to do certain tasks for God.  I think God expects that from us as humans.  However, His constant answer to us is to trust in HIS strength and to know that HE will empower HIS people to do HIS work.

Faith and Courage,

Lori  .