September 21, 2020 - Move Your Feet

I often talk with church folk and hear the same sentiment… that they are ready and willing to do what the Lord asks… a mentality that says one is willing to follow the direction of God when “called”… a mindset that waits for one’s number to be called in a play designed for him… It is typically an approach that thinks of grandiose plans for projects or the mission field.

Don’t get me wrong, I, as a player, loved to have my number called… for the coach to design a play for me. I have used that analogy in the past pointing out that God calls plays for us to perform “good works… that we should walk in them.” (Ephesians 2:10) When teaching about that verse I typically liken it unto players that see the play drawn up in the huddle and then return to the bench instead of taking the floor…

Earlier I saw a Facebook memory pop up from a friend’s page and it stated, “Don’t ask God to guide your footsteps if you’re not willing to move your feet!”

I thought of the prophet Isaiah saying, “Here I am Lord, send me” (Isaiah 6:8) and his willingness to go; he heard clear direction from the Lord! This is typically a verse used to encourage the mission filed or the pastorate… some grandiose scoring play, BUT…

I got to thinking, as I began writing today, that as a coach, I didn’t call the number of players that didn’t first show a willingness to “move their feet” in just the basic expectations. In other words, calling a player’s number for a grandiose play was predicated upon the player being committed or obedient to the basic structures of the game. Every player on my bench was willing to have a play designed for them, but bottom line is I didn’t trust doing that for every player on our bench.

What if we first gauged our “willingness” not on the grandiose ideas of ministry, and instead on the basic tenets of the Word, which is in fact the biggest part of how God has chosen to give us direction… Afterall Jesus stated it this way:

He who is faithful in what is least is faithful also in much… Therefore if you have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches? (Luke 16:10-11)

Jesus also states that doing the things He says makes one wise, and not doing them foolish… (Matthew 7:24, 26)

And James warns us to not just be “hearers” of the Word but also “doers”… (James 1:22)

I know you may be willing to have your number called… but are you faithful to the basic tenets of “the game”? MOVE YOUR FEET on the basics, the grandiose stuff will come after one is found faithful!