| With this being the week of the NFL Draft, it seemed suitable that our NCBC Kids lesson is about Jesus drafting His disciples. Just kidding, that just happened to be the next lesson on the calendar——yet it’s pretty great timing! Of course, Jesus did not pick anyone from the first round, or the second, or the third. Jesus didn’t pick anyone the world would see as worthy. They were a bunch of misfits who would go on to do amazing things——not in their own strength—but only through Christ who strengthened them! We are living in unprecedented times where one by one the not-Christ things that we had been able to rely on to give us comfort and strength have been taken away. Do you, like me, need the company and affirmation of others to make you feel worthy? Do you, like me, thrive on routine and structure and strategies to convince you that you have control of your life? Do you, like me, rely on your income, your checking account, your 401(k) to provide for you? My list could sadly go on and on. As one by one these things vanish, I’ve become acutely aware of the many go-to idols that I have trusted to do for me what ultimately Christ alone can do. Jesus knew exactly what He was getting when He called His first disciples and when He called us. And He’s not disappointed in His team. We aren’t even His B squad. We are who Jesus drafted to spread the gospel——right here in Eastern Iowa. Quarantined, out of our routines, or maybe even out of work. No matter our circumstances, we press on with confidence simply because Jesus is with us! “…lead a life worthy of your calling, for you have been called by God. Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love.” (Ephesians 4:1-2) |
