Be Used By God

Mark 10:36-40, “And He (Jesus) said to them, ‘What do you want Me to do for you?’ They said to Him, “Grant that we may sit, one on Your right and one on Your left, in Your glory.’ But Jesus said to them, ‘You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, or to be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized?’ They said to Him, ‘We are able.’ And Jesus said to them, ‘The cup that I drink you shall drink; and you shall be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized. But to sit on My right or My left, this is not Mine to give, but it is for those for who it has been prepared.”

To me a modern day version of this story might go something like, ‘God use me for Your glory. Use me and let something big come out of it. Use me so I get a high reward.’ The problem with this is that God hears more than the words. He hears the purity of heart and the true reason behind the request. Is the desire the reward, or is the desire to show love in obedience? Do we want to be “used” to travel the world and control a multi-million dollar ministry, or are we content with seeming fruitless obedience to God with no financial rewards? Do we want to be “used” so that men will recognize who WE are, or do we want to be used so that others recognize Jesus?

When we say, God use me, we do not know what we are asking. But it is with certainty that the prayer will be met with His cup and His baptism. Christ’s cup of the cross and His baptism by fire is the answer to the request of being used by God.  We too often mean use us as some kind of manipulation to convince God He should intervene in our life with limitless physical happiness and possessions, but God as love is about eternal blessings, and those are far different from anything that can be purchased or made by human hands. Being used by God does not mean wealth. It does not mean a congregation. Being used by God is not being appointed leader of the group. Being used is being asked to be the servant. Being used is to be constantly put in positions where only faith provides an answer.

Jim Spivey wrote, “we are so wired to ‘perform for results’ of our own desire and understanding. I (we) don’t get to do that. He has made it crystal clear to me that He will ‘pay me to be Jim,’ and that He will ‘use me for my benefit,’ as He carries out His plan… He will grow and mature me, and what He is doing with others is His and their business. I don’t get to do this in an aloof fashion, or act all elevated about it; instead, I am humbled every day by the sheer unpredictability of it all…”

If you think "use me" will get you a place of spiritual or earthly position then you are as mistaken as James and John asking for the position of Christ’s right (and left) hand men.  No, a prayer of use me starts a process of God using you to benefit yourself. You being used is everything ungodly rubbing against everything godly until He has polished you for His pleasure. Even a call to be a minister would be for YOUR benefit far and above any benefit to a congregation. 

I will close with Oswald Chambers on the same subject. His scripture reference was John 21:21-23.  When we come to the place that we think our “being used” is for someone else, or why isn't that person doing what we are Oswald says this, “One of the hardest lessons to learn comes from our stubborn refusal to refrain from interfering in other people’s lives. It takes a long time to realize… that it is interfering with God’s plans for others… and then God says, ‘What is it to you?’… You will possibly find it is because you had no right to propose, or advising when you had no right to advise. (God use me so I can be the one in control) When you do have to give advice to another person, God will advise through you with the direct understanding of His Spirit. YOUR PART IS TO MAINTAIN THE RIGHT RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD… “

This is being used by God… to be in constant relationship with Him.

Oswald goes on, “Most of us live only within the level of consciousness – consciously serving and consciously devoted to God. (and disconnected all other times) This shows immaturity and the fact that we’re not YET living the REAL Christian life. Maturity is produced in the life of a child of God on the unconscious level, until we become so totally SURRENDERED to God that we are not even aware of being used Him… A saint is never consciously  a saint – a saint is consciously dependent on God.”

Want to be used by God, then you will drink Christ’s cup and experience His baptism and the only way to do either of those is surrendered and in constant contact with the Father. He must hold your hand through it all.