by: Kristina Clark
It was one of those days! I couldn’t believe it! The babysitter called and canceled not even an hour before my appointment. I come downstairs to find my helpful eight-year-old son had just finished making oatmeal for all of the children. What a mess! Of course, I couldn’t be upset at him. He was trying to help. In the meantime the baby had oatmeal all over her clean clothes, in her hair, on the walls, the table, the floor and the high chair. There was a mess literally everywhere. My son Caleb was sharing his oatmeal with his ferret because “the ferret doesn’t want to eat out of his own bowl.” I got the mess cleaned up, the baby re-bathed, and finally at the last minute find another babysitter. I then rushed the children to the car, began to pull out and found that two of the chickens had escaped from their pen and the dogs were chasing them. We kenneled the dogs, caught the chickens and went on our way. This particular morning I did not want to “Rejoice in the Lord.”
I dropped the children off at the babysitter’s house. I made it to the short, but mandatory appointment. When I returned to pick up the children, they were playing at the park. I decided to stay a while and let them play. While we were there, I met a lady who began talking to me and telling me of her troubles. She was a young college student who just lost her grandfather and was struggling to balance school and family. This was a real challenge for her. Then it all came to me…this is why the Lord brought this crazy day to me. I could identify with this young woman and I wouldn’t be here had my babysitter not canceled. You see, just a month earlier I lost my mother, was struggling with my last semester in school, and I had a very sick baby in the hospital. God needed me to be at that park at that time. Her heart was softened and she readily accepted Christ as her Saviour. You know, I really don’t think she would have been open to me had we both not gone through significant trials in our life. I wish the Lord could have just told me to go to this park at this appointed time, but that is not what He chose. Now, this is really something worth rejoicing over!
Hebrews 12:2 says, “Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.” Jesus made it because He knew there was joy at the end. Seeing the Lord do this work brought joy to my soul.
When I think of women who were used in the Bible, I can think of many who were used both positively and negatively. Let’s look at just a few. Eunice and Lois were careful in the training they gave to Timothy. Being used to train our children is being greatly used! Martha was the servant and Mary was the entertainer. They are both different, but necessary. Deborah was strong. In fact she was a leader in the war, but before that she displayed great wisdom as a homemaker giving advice under the palm tree. Miriam’s disloyalty caused her to get leprosy and nearly caused her death. This is certainly a great lesson for all of us. Jochebed was willing to take the back seat and never reveal to Moses that she was his true mother. She shows us that we can be used of God even if nobody ever knows about it. Then you hear a lot about Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Elijah, but very little about their wives. I wonder who helped them to become a success? Does that mean they were not used of God because they were not the focus of the Scriptures? Of course, you have the Titus woman, the Proverbs 31 woman, and the dreaded Proverbs 7 woman. We could go on, but my question for you is: How do you want to be used of God?
You may be a plumber’s wife, doctor’s wife, preacher’s wife, or maybe you are a secretary, school teacher, lawyer or an accountant. Your husband may be in the military. Maybe you are not even married. You could be single, divorced or a widow. God wants to use every one of you. I don’t know you, but God does know you and He is there waiting to give you your next assignment. He longs to see you do great things for Him, even if it’s the simple task of telling somebody about Jesus. You don’t have to be known or seen to be used of God. Are you listening for the voice of the Lord? He is trying to talk to you. Listen!
I took a class while I was in college with Mrs. Marlene Evans. At the end of every class period we would sing, “To Be Used of God.” I loved this class! This was one of her last semesters teaching, if not her last. As I went through the semester I realized the magnitude of having the privilege of taking one of her classes. As we would leave the class each day, I made it a point to be one of the last students out the door. I just wanted to be around her. She was sick and I didn’t want to bombard her with questions. I just wanted to be near her a few moments longer. I loved to hear the girls singing as they went out the door, “To be used of God is my desire.” Honestly, I don’t want any more crazy days like this one! But, if I was used of God that day to show this young woman who Jesus is…It was worth it and I would gladly do it all over again.
From all of this, I think we can learn three lessons…
- Crazy days happen. Learn to roll with the punches.
- Listen for the voice of the Lord.
- Allow the possibility of “Being used of God” to be your greatest desire.
Ladies let’s go be “used of God!”
Kristina Clark
Pastor’s Wife
Northern Lights Baptist Church
Anchorage, AK