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PROGRAM D-8385
Are you known as a faithful person? Several people I know come to mind as being so very faithful. I think of a song we’ve all heard, “God Uses Ordinary People”—and he does, but he uses ordinary people who are faithful.
I’ve been encouraging you through the story of Jehoshaphat as found in 2 Chronicles 20 to remember two important principles as you face every day: “Don’t fight; just show up!” Through a prophet God sent word to his people who were facing a powerful enemy army, that they did not have to fight the battle—the battle belonged to the Lord. But they did have to show up—they had to march to the battlefield, take their positions, and stand firm.
These faithful people I referred to are people who show up when they’re supposed to. You don’t have to worry about them forgetting, quitting, or finding some excuse. They’re there, doing whatever it is God has given them to do—big or small—taking their positions and standing firm.
I find lots of people who want God to fight the battle and win it for them, but they don’t want to show up. What position has God given to you? What part are you supposed to play in his game plan? He wants you to show up and take your position. Oh, how I appreciate faithful people who show up, and I can imagine God appreciates them even more than I do.
Maybe you show up once in a while, but you don’t stand firm. We must obey God completely in order for him to win our battles for us. Maybe you’ve been praying for a miracle from God but you’ve been wishy-washy; your testimony is on and off; your time with God is hit and miss. Not only do we have to show up, but we also must stand firm once we’re there.
I hope you’ll remember this little slogan—Don’t fight; just show up!—because it will remind you that you can’t do it yourself. You shouldn’t even try! Abandon your own self-efforts, give it over to the Lord, give him permission to do it his way, and admit you don’t know what to do. But then, please, please, please don’t quit, don’t feel sorry for yourself, don’t get discouraged! March to your battle singing and praising God because his love endures forever—as they did in 2 Chronicles 20. Then by all means, SHOW UP! And when you show up, STAND FIRM!
God uses ordinary people who are faithful. So “Don’t fight; just show up!”