Serving where He calls me...by His design...

"As Jesus went on from there, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax collector's booth.  'Follow me,' He told Him, and Matthew got up and followed Him."  Matthew 9:9 

As I continue my study in Matthew, I have to pause and just recognize God’s intricate and sovereign plans.  We often don’t understand why things happen, but at least for me, that old expression of hindsight is 20-20 usually comes full circle.  God uniquely designed me, every detail, to fulfill His purpose. 

I can’t help but think about this in relation to this passage in Matthew.  Matthew was a tax collector by trade.  He not only collected taxes, but part of his responsibility was also as a record keeper.  How significant is it that Jesus called Matthew to be one of His disciples?  Matthew was uniquely designed to vividly capture and record the accounts of Jesus for us to read generations later.  Yes, I know every word of Scripture written was inspired, but I do believe God often uses us in areas that uniquely fit how He made us, and Matthew was designed for the job Jesus called him to do, for sure.

Design (verb)  To do or plan with a specific purpose in mind

It’s a word that implies creativity. It’s a word that implies forethought.  And it’s a word that implies purpose and intention.  There’s no doubt that throughout Scripture, it’s clear that God designed us.  He knows us by name, and He created us for a purpose.

Psalm 139:1-6,13  “O Lord, you have searched me and known me! You know when I sit down and when I rise up; you discern my thoughts from afar. You search out my path and my lying down and are acquainted with all my ways. Even before a word is on my tongue, behold, O Lord, you know it altogether. You hem me in, behind and before, and lay your hand upon me. You created my inmost being. You knit me together in my mother’s womb.”

I can look back over my life and see how God allowed certain things to take place so that I could be who He called me to be today.  Who would have ever thought that taking a job as a receptionist at AAA would have been the first foundation for my career today?  Within less than five years, I had cross-trained for multiple positions within the company and eventually, I was promoted by a district office manager.  I would have never guessed at the time that God would allow taking a job as a receptionist to set the framework for my life in Texas.

But as I think about my design in relation to service to God, I’m kind of back at a crossroads, doing some serious evaluation.  I recently resigned from the women’s ministry team, at least for a period of time.  I felt as though God was telling me to pull back and re-focus.  I don’t know what that means exactly, but I do know a big factor in that is my need to re-focus on my family.  I may have one going off to college this week, but I still have one at home, and my job isn’t done.  It’s easy to do, do, do because you happen to be good at something, and it’s easy to say yes, yes, yes, because no one else will do it.  But when there’s so many “do’s” and “yes’s”, I think you lose focus and become weary.  And that’s where I was.

In his book Doing Church as Team, Wayne Cordeiro talks about DESIGN.  He uses the acronym to bring focus to where you should be serving in the church.  Here’s a quick snapshot of this great tool:

 

D	Desires or Passions	Ask yourself, “What do I love doing?”
E	Experiences	Ask yourself, “What unique experiences do I have?”
S	Spiritual Gifts	Ask yourself, “What are my spiritual gifts?”  (…And if you don’t know, just google “spiritual gifts inventory” to help point you in the right direction.)
I	Individual Style	Ask yourself, “Am I an introvert or extrovert?”  (Do I get energized by being alone or do I get energy from being in a crowd of people?)
G	Growth	Ask yourself, “Where am I in my spiritual growth?”  (If you’re a new baby Christian, you probably don’t want to sign up to teach a theology class.)
N	Natural Abilities	Ask yourself, “What are my natural abilities and talents?  (ie: singing, writing, making people laugh, playing an instrument, art, etc.)

 

So just like God called Matthew to do what he uniquely designed him to do, I know God is going to bring clarity to my area of service within the church as well.  I know He created me with desires, gave me experiences and spiritual gifts, natural abilities, and has grown me in my spiritual walk thus far to serve Him wholeheartedly.  So now, I just need to wait and listen for His call.  Then like Matthew, I will jump in and serve, by His design.

 

 

--- Beth Banfill
www.GodandMe2theMax.com