God Speaking

“…We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God was making his appeal through us…”

(2 Corinthians 5:20)

We were shown an incredible video during our service this Sunday, which was a forerunner to commissioning volunteers for the Stephen Ministry. This ministry is an outreach to those who may be going through any sort of trial in their personal lives, and need someone to come along side of them to listen, encourage, be compassionate in whatever the situation is. What struck me to begin with was the eye catching title blazoned across the screen

YOU DON’T NEED TO HAVE ALL THE ANSWERS

Too often, and we may be guilty of this ourselves, people look at another’s problems and come up with a quick solution that they think will fix whatever is wrong. For example, just stop drinking, leave that abusive man, get over that grief and move on, forget what has gone on etc. or the reverse may happen we feel we have no idea how to help someone in deep distress and consequently do nothing. The message of this video was how to develop a deep, compassionate, grace filled approach to those who are hurting, not offering solutions, but offering time, a listening ear, prayer.

I think this approach could be developed in all our lives, particularly remembering the wisdom of the title of the video, we don’t need to have all the answers I find that very comforting. When we realise that any real help for those hurting will come from our Heavenly Father, it leaves us free to fill the supporting role, remembering these words;

“Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.” (Colossians 3:12)

The other great comfort I received from that powerful title, was the realisation that as Christ’s followers we are not expected to know all the answers. There will be no final exam about how many Bible verses we know; no thesis to be written about science and religion; no having to explain how the universe was created. I love that section in the book of Job, where Job has a lot of questions about God, and God answers him (Job chapters 38 – 39). After listening to God expound on his own majesty in creation, Job is humbled and realised of course he does not have all the answers;

“I know that you can do all things; no plan of yours can be thwarted. You asked, who is this that obscures my counsel without knowledge? Surely I spoke of things I did not understand, things too wonderful for me to know.” (Job 42:2 – 3)

Many things are too wonderful for us as humans to understand, but when we accept that, we can relax in the fact that yes, we don’t have all the answers, but we do serve a mighty God who holds the universe and us in his hands, and we can call upon him in any circumstance to fill us with that power to carry out any task he sets before us, to be his ambassadors of his love to others.