It’s amazing what you could actually end up doing as you allow the Lord to equip and train you. For sure, His plan is perfect and His dream for us is big. God uses ordinary people and equips them for His extraordinary tasks.
Just think about it:
An orphan was adopted by a missionary couple. And from the cold region of Grand Rapids, he spent his growing up years in a hot country, Ghana. When he grew up, he couldn’t afford university education, so he signed on with the Navy and the Navy paid for his college education. Now, he is the director of publications in RBC Ministries and contributing writer of Our Daily Journey. His global perspective gleaned from growing up in foreign soils and in the army made him a significant contributor toward developing biblical materials that speak to the international audience. (Can you guess which ODJ writer is he?)
A teacher who didn’t like to teach, but love the English language decided to seek a job in a Christian publishing company. She rose through the rank and file in Zondervan and eventually established the Discovery House Publishers in RBC Ministries.
A first-year college girl flunked her chemistry exams and decided to switch to American Sign Language instead. It was an extremely discouraging time but on hindsight, God has His hand in it. He changed her course, so that today, she could be used by Him to make His life-changing Word understandable and accessible to the hearing impaired.
The above are but a few examples of people whose life testifies of the amazing God who redeems us and prepares a good work for each one of us to do. Each of them were faithful in their given responsibilities—no matter how lowly or humdrum—and continue to seek the Lord’s pleasure in the trenches and crests of life.
Through their life, the verse in Hebrews 11:40 took on greater depth and meaning as I meditate on its words: “God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect.”
tom felten on November 9, 2011 at 10:57 am
Thanks for sharing these thoughts, Poh Fang. It’s a privilege to know all three of the people you described. God has certainly done incredible things through each one to bless me and others!