Recently, along with some other ministers, I took part in an Easter service. The ministers in the area are all Gospel/evangelically based. It was an Anglican church, and I had been asked to read some Scriptures during the service. The Rector had said that when it came to my turn, I was just to read from the lectern. Sounded simple enough !
The church layout could be described as having three levels. First, the congregation level; then go up a level to where the choir sits; then a third level where the bread and wine are kept for communion. When it came to my turn to read, as I was already on the third level, I walked over towards the Rector and towards his reading desk (also third level). He said, “Sorry, it’s not this one, it’s that one down there!” As I walked down to level two, I had a sinking feeling that this also was the wrong lectern, as there was no microphone to be seen with it. Sure enough, the Rector came over and escorted me down to the third level, which was the correct lectern. (He kindly took away the awkwardness by joking, “We’ll make an Anglican out of you yet!”).
The moral of the story is this: When someone asks you to read from the lectern – always ask, “Which one ??” !!
How could I have missed this third lectern? It was the biggest of the three, and had a massive Bible on top of it. When I originally had come into the building, I had passed all three lecterns, but hadn’t taken any notice of them. I was distracted by other things and other people as I made my way to where I was to sit. I wasn’t “tuned in” and when it came to my assignment (with only one lectern being the correct one), I was confused.
I wonder are there assignments that God has for us? People He wants us to talk to; places He wants us to go; things He wants us to do? But we miss out on our assignment because we aren’t “in tune” with Him? We are distracted with other things. We come into situations where, if we were listening properly for Him, we would know what He wants us to do – only we are too busy and distracted.
You see God is a very specific God.
In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.
Proverbs 3:6
This verse shows me there are specific paths that God wants us to take and He will direct us to them. No, I`m not meaning that you need to ask the Lord which colour of socks to wear in the morning, or what type of jam to put on your toast – but I do believe that God has certain assignments for us, and we need to be “in tune” with Him – or as the verse says, to “acknowledge” Him – and He will show us what He wants us to do.
The following are just three examples of people who had very specific assignments in the Bible.
- As Eliezer went to choose a wife for Isaac (Genesis 24:12-26), he prayed to the Lord, and was very specific. Although there were bound to be many women who came that day to the well for water, his assignment was going to be solely the one who would not only do something specific but also say something specific. He kept “in tune” with the Lord, and because of this, his assignment was successful.
- As seven young “candidates” passed before Samuel (1st Samuel 16:6-13) how would he know which one would be King? It was actually none of them, and God kept Samuel informed every step of the way. The eighth one, who was tending to his sheep (David), was Samuel’s assignment. And Samuel knew because he kept close to the Lord.
- In Acts 16:6-10 we read that Paul was going to bring the Gospel to Asia, but the Holy Spirit stopped him from doing so. Then Paul thought he would go to Bithynia, but once again the Holy Spirit would not allow it. And then Paul finds out his assignment through a vision. He receives a call to Macedonia and because Paul is sensitive to the Holy Spirit, we read of the conversion of Lydia and the Philippian jailer, and also a young girl set free from demonic possession. Paul found out his assignment by keeping close to God.
The story is told about Smith Wigglesworth who was sent by God to go to a specific place in a street in Bradford to wait for someone He would send. He waited an hour and a half and was about to leave, when a man approached who was driving a horse and carriage. The Lord indicated that this was the man. He got up on the carriage and told the man about Jesus, and he subsequently got saved. Shortly after that came the news that this same man had taken ill suddenly and died, but that he had died trusting in Jesus. Wigglesworth completed his assignment by listening to the voice of God, and a soul was saved just in time.
Sometimes in the Christian life, we just throw out the net and see what “fish” it brings in, and that’s fine. But there are also I believe specific assignments that God has for us. Certain people that He wants us to meet, certain places He wants us to go and certain things He wants us to do. It’s not just “any old lectern” but it is one specific “lectern.” It’s not just any old person, but one particular person. It`s not just any old place, but one particular destination that is our assignment. We read that Jesus deliberately went through Samaria – why ? I believe it was because He had an assignment with this Samaritan woman who was going to bring others also to Jesus.
If we are distracted, or are not “in tune” with the Lord, then we may miss that special assignment (although God is gracious and has a way of getting the job done !). But let’s not miss out on what God has for us to do. Let’s keep “in tune” with Him – let’s keep connected – let’s walk intimately with Him and complete the assignments that He has waiting for us.
……..but the people that do know their God shall be strong, and do exploits.
Daniel 11:32(b)
You can find more devotionals like this in the book, “Just A Moment.” Just click this link