Don't send me. I am afraid

[reen12]

How many times have we failed to take action - when action was clearly called for?

“Be still, and know that I am God” - is not a recommendation to
lead a life of complete passivity.

“Let God do it - or let anyone else do it -just leave me in
peace and quiet. Besides,* I’m not equipped to take action.” *http://bestsmileys.com/fainting/1.gif

There is, unhappily, instructive precedent for this attitude. :coffeeread:
One thinks of the prophet Isaiah saying, when God appeared to him:

“Woe is me, I am doomed! For I am a man of unclean lips…
yet my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!”

The prophet Isaiah was well aware of his own sinfulness, and he shrank back
into himself, telling God that he shouldn’t be the one sent.
God sends an angel with a burning ember to press against the lips of Isaiah.
Feeling cleansed, Isaiah says:

"Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send?”
“Who will go for us?”
“Here I am, Lord. Send me.”

Contrast this - with the words of the prophet Jeremiah, when God
calls him to speak to His people, Israel.

“Ah, Lord God!” I said, “I know not how to speak; I am too young.” http://bestsmileys.com/nono/9.gif
Well, perhaps he was young - but God would speak to His people
through the man He had chosen - Jeremiah.

Moses said to God - when God told him that he was to go to Egypt,
to lead God’s people out of their bondage:

“Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and lead the Israelites out of Egypt?”

All Moses wanted to do was to tend the flock of sheep that he was responsible for.
Yet the divine Shepherd called to a human shepherd to help Him save His people
from the grip of the Egyptian Pharaoh.
God replied to Moses, when Moses expressed his fears:

He answered, "I will be with you…

Both Moses and Jeremiah were understandably worried.
Neither had a gift for speech. Why was God calling to them?
Didn’t He - Who knew all things - didn’t He know what imperfect
‘instruments’ they would be?
Shouldn’t He find someone else? http://bestsmileys.com/nono/9.gif

God said to Jeremiah, when Jeremiah pleaded not to be sent - because he was too young:

But the Lord answered me, Say not, “I am too young.” To whomever I send you, you shall go;
whatever I command you, you shall speak. Have no fear before them, because I am with you
to deliver you, says the Lord.

We have already seen how God comforted Moses, in his fears:
God answered,
"I will be with you…

When we hear an inner call to take action - to relieve suffering,
to give counsel, to stand by those who need support, to give of
our time and our wealth - how many times have we said, shrinking back:
"There’s been a mistake. Surely You don’t mean me, Lord?

The next time I hear this inner call, please, God, have mercy,
and give me the grace to say, with Isaiah:

“Here I am, Lord. Send me.” http://bestsmileys.com/waving/5.gif

reen12

 

[MarieVeronica]

Thank you, reen… for an insightful reminder that Our Lord often chooses the most unlikely and incapable among us… to do His work. In this way… His Mercy and Might are revealed. For He can take the most broken of instruments… and with it, produce the most breathtaking results. Out of nothingness… He brings all into existance. God bless.

 

[reen12]

quote: MarieVeronica

Thank you, reen… for an insightful reminder that Our Lord often chooses the most unlikely and incapable among us… to do His work. In this way… His Mercy and Might are revealed. For He can take the most broken of instruments… and with it, produce the most breathtaking results. Out of nothingness… He brings all into existance…

Exactly, MarieVeronica. In my own instance, I think of those of
us who endure severe psychological and/or mental illness.
Why would God allow this hurtful reality?

Why would He allow one to become a shattered vessel?
How can we serve Him, being so ill?
What meaning could mental illness possibly have?

And then I think about the waters of Siloe. The healing waters of God.

Does God use even a shattered vessel, to carry the waters of Siloe?

A shattered vessel - who bedews the most unlikely places, with His healing waters?



Best,

reen

 

[InLight247]

Both Moses and Jeremiah were understandably worried.
Neither had a gift for speech. Why was God calling to them?
Didn’t He - Who knew all things - didn’t He know what imperfect
‘instruments’ they would be?
Shouldn’t He find someone else?

If today the President of United States ask me to do some small thing for him, wouldn’t I feel honored? Wouldn’t I gladly do it?

If we know God is calling us to do something for Him, shouldn’t we gladly do it since God is much much greater than the President?

I remember when I was a little child, if the teacher asked me to be her helper, I would feel so happy. As God’s child, I like to hold the same mentality. If I hear God’s calling, I like to step forward just like the little child helping her teacher.

I always believe God may not call the qualified, but He always qualify the called. This is based on my personal experience.

 

[reen12]

quote: InLight247

I always believe God may not call the qualified, but He always qualify the called.

Oh I like that a lot, InLight247.

quote: InLight247

I remember when I was a little child, if the teacher asked me to be her helper, I would feel so happy.

Me too. As late as the 7th grade, it made me happy to be asked
to water the classroom plants of Sister Gonzaga.
Noooobody gave Sister Mary Gonzaga one moment of trouble.
To enter her classroom was like going to another planet,
where reigned peace and the serene. Sister Gonzaga knew
who she was, and what she was about - teaching 12 years olds
to write in lucid manner. She brought the best from us, in terms literary.
I recall one of my classmates, reading his imaginative work:
“I was a Barnacle on the Bottom of a Boat.”
I was entranced.
*Endless *possiblities opened. http://bestsmileys.com/nono/9.gif

As I say, Sister Gonzaga brought out the best in us, in terms of fictive endeavors.
And it was a joy to water Sister’s plants.
Were we to retain this simplicity of heart, it would, no doubt,
bring joy to God, and peace to our own hearts.

God, please reward Sister Mary Gonzaga, who taught
far more than one generation how to construct a sentence,
so that it danced.

“I was a Barnacle on the Bottom of a Boat.” http://bestsmileys.com/cool/1.gif

reen12

 

[MarieVeronica]

In my own instance, I think of those of
us who endure severe psychological and/or mental illness.
Why would God allow this hurtful reality?

Indeed, it is the very fact… that some people suffer so much physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually… that we can participate in Our Lord’s work of Salvation.

For those of us who attended parochial school… remember the old advice that the good teaching Sisters would give… “Offer it UP”! Oh, what words of wisdom!

Offer everything to Jesus! If you have nothing else to offer… than simply offer Him our human weakness. We are all shattered earthen vessels. But to Him, we are precious. (there’s the “Paradox of the Cross”, again). Thanks for the reminder, reen. And God bless.

 

[reen12]

quote: MarieVeronica

Offer everything to Jesus! If you have nothing else to offer… than simply offer Him our human weakness. We are all shattered earthen vessels.

You know what this reminds me of, MarieVeronica?

C.S.Lewis had a close friend who died young.
Lewis noted that he had learned from his friend that, sometimes,
“God has us build an altar, here -so that the fire may come down over there.”
We will never know in our lifetimes how many times
our own suffering, accepted and offered up, has
been an instance of building the altar of sacrifice here, so that the Holy Spirit -
the fire of God’s love, comes down over there.

One day, we shall all join hands with the Master of the dance,
and no longer will altars need to be built, because time will have ended,
and God will dance with us - to our eternal joy.

reens

 

[MarieVeronica]

quote: MarieVeronica

You know what this reminds me of, MarieVeronica?

C.S.Lewis had a close friend who died young.
Lewis noted that he had learned from his friend that, sometimes,
“God has us build an altar, here -so that the fire may come down over there.”
We will never know in our lifetimes how many times
our own suffering, accepted and offered up, has
been an instance of building the altar of sacrifice here, so that the Holy Spirit -
the fire of God’s love, comes down over there.

One day, we shall all join hands with the Master of the dance,
and no longer will altars need to be built, because time will have ended,
and God will dance with us - to our eternal joy.

reens

Brilliant, reen! Thank you! Thank you! This thread is a blessing.

 

[reen12]

quote: MarieVeronica

This thread is a blessing.

As your presence here, on CAF, is a blessing for me
and for others, MarieVeronica.

Thank you for your kind words.

reens