My “Yes” Is On The Table
Last summer my family experienced The Ark Encounter in Kentucky. Standing in front of a life-size replica of Noah’s ark was quite impressive, greatly enhancing my understanding of what a high calling and colossal task God had instructed Noah to accomplish. But more than that, God showed me the immensity of my smallness in contrast to the incomparable greatness of the mission He calls us to.
God often calls His people to tasks, plans, and missions much bigger than ourselves. As a matter of fact, when God places a call on your life, you can guarantee it cannot be fulfilled without His Holy Spirit power. Can you imagine the thoughts that might have invaded Noah’s mind when God called him to build the ark? You want me to do what now? You do realize there’s no rain in the forecast…like not even a cloud in the sky…right? 300 cubits by 50 cubits by 30 cubits? That’s a bit beyond my level of experience. Exactly how do you suggest I do that?
We don’t actually know what Noah thought, but we do know that he obeyed. Genesis 6:22 simply says, “Noah did this, he did all that God commanded him.” When the world saw a crazy man, God saw a faithful man. When the world questioned, God declared. When the world ridiculed, God equipped, and when the world mocked the mission, God strengthened Noah to fulfill the mission. When God called, Noah put his “YES” on the table – quite likely a table he built with his own hands.
Noah said “YES” to God. Even when he couldn’t fully understand the mission. Even when he felt miniscule compared to the task at hand. Even when he couldn’t possibly realize the startling result of his obedience.
God hasn’t called me to build an ark, but He has called me to write. Not only that, but He has also called me to influence and encourage others to truly experience the abundance of eternal life on this side of heaven. He has called me to do this by sharing gospel truth in both written and spoken word, as a writer and author, as a teacher and speaker. I’ve known this a long time but have allowed lies and fears and questions to haunt me. While I’d love to do this, God, I’m not educated enough or experienced enough. Besides, there are so many other writers and speakers out there… I don’t have enough money to grow a ministry. Where would I even begin? I don’t have a big enough following to ever be taken seriously… I am not man-enough to be heard and respected, let alone be used to impact the kingdom. These are the thoughts…no, these are the lies that invade my mind and have held me captive far too long.
The truth is that “it is for freedom that Christ has set me free” (Gal. 5:1). So I am taking a giant leap into this freedom that Christ has for me by developing a writing and speaking ministry. I know there will be nay-sayers and haters. But when some see a girl in over her head, God sees a woman after His own heart. When some question, God will declare. When some ridicule, God will encourage. When some mock the mission, God will strengthen me to fulfill it. My “YES” is on the table. With an open heart and open hands, my knees trembling before God, I give this ministry to Him.
Oh, how I want to follow the example of Noah: may it be said of me, “Joy did this, she did all that God commanded her.” God hasn’t given me the exact cubit size of what this will look like, but I am certain that it is WAAAYYY bigger than me! I already feel miniscule compared to the task at hand; I pray to be small but mighty (a humble heart fueled by the power of God). I cannot possibly anticipate what God is going to do as a result, but thankfully, my job is only to obey and trust God with the rest. (and quite frankly, that is hard enough!)
So why am I sharing all this with you? Because I need you. You are my people. I need you to pray for me. I need you to encourage me. I need you to spread the word and share my page. I need you to hold me accountable. My “YES” is out there, and I can’t take it back. I also share this with you because you need me. We need each other, friends. I believe with all my heart that God has called or is calling you to something as well. Do you know what it is? What needs to happen for you to put your “YES” on the table in order to make much of Jesus? I want to cheer you on. I want to pray for you. I want you to see what God can do with your “YES.” The abundance of eternal life is now, and God has so much of it for us to experience on this side of heaven.
See you at the table!
