Ready, Willing and Able

Over the past few months I have been alternating between studying Priscilla Shirer’s “Discerning the Voice of God” and Kelly Minter’s “Ruth” series. One of the things that amazes me about both of these studies and even the Sunday sermons I hear is that God will continually give me a message in different ways, all saying the same thing until I “get it”. Not long ago Bev Swayze in her sermon on Palm Sunday talked about “taking up your cross daily”, she went on to say that being a Christian is “hard” work. It requires daily sacrifices, discipline, obedience and most of all a willing heart to hear God’s call and move forward.

About 3 years ago I was in the local grocery store standing in the check out line. Ahead of me was a young Mom with her little girl, probably no more than 18 months who watched her with big eyes as she placed her items on the belt. I kept one eye on the baby and one on the groceries as I waited, hoping to catch the baby watching me so I could see her smile. Ever since becoming a grandma, nothing makes me warmer and fuzzier than a babies smile, especially when it’s directed at me. Anyway, when it came time for the young Mom to pay, she became flustered. The baby crinkled up her nose and started to cry. Her Mom, dug frantically in her purse looking for her wallet and I could sense the distress coming from baby and Mom alike. Finally I heard her say that she had forgotten her wallet and would not be able to pay for the groceries. Then, I heard another voice. “Jane, you pay for her groceries”. I looked around. No one was in line behind me, but I was pretty sure I heard a clear, distinct voice say I was to pay for her groceries. Now, let me stop right here and explain that I don’t hear voices regularly, I am not prone to dramatics and though I felt sorry for the Mom, my usual suspicious nature was in high gear. Sure, she forgot her wallet, that’s an old trick, she uses her money for other things, I’ve seen this game before, I bet she had money for the liquor store, the drug dealer, the gambling addiction, just a few of the not so pretty things that ran through my head. Then I heard it again “Jane, you pay for her groceries”. You see, I had been praying that God would help me to hear him. Just that morning I had asked for His voice to be loud and clear, for direction and guidance and if need be, a lightening bolt or two. So, you can imagine my surprise and lack of trust when all the sudden I heard a clear voice telling me to pay for this woman’s groceries.

I wish I could say I had a willing heart, what I had was a suspicious heart. God never spoke this clearly to me before, or so I thought. Yet here I was in the grocery store, in the check out line, hearing him tell me exactly what to do. So, I did. I walked around the women’s cart, slid my card through the charge machine and paid the ninety dollars for her groceries. I’m not sure who was more surprised, the clerk behind the counter, the Mom or me. I don’t really remember saying anything, just acting on what I heard and telling her I was glad to help. She asked for my name and address to repay me, I told her it was not important, paid for my own groceries and left.

All the way home, I tried to figure out what to say to my husband. How did I justify the added ninety dollar expense, how to explain the voice I heard. When I got home I told him just what I related to you, his response “that’s fine honey, glad you could help her out.” No further discussion but oh, what a huge lesson I learned that day.

God does talk to me, sometimes not as clearly as he did on that day but much more often than I am willing to admit. The issue is not what he asks me to do, it’s do I have a willing heart to listen and obey? I am ashamed to admit how many times I have heard and turned my back. How many times I have known what he wanted me to do but been reluctant and sometimes unwilling to carry the load, make the phone call, apologize, write the letter, clean up the mess or just hug the one I hurt. In spite of myself, God continues to pursue me, to call me to action and to equip me with the resources to complete the task at hand. But am I ready to hear his voice, willing to obey and able to pick up my cross and follow him daily?

God’s word says I am. My dependence on God is the only qualification I need to serve Him. 2 Corinthians 12:9 tells me that God’s grace is sufficient for all my needs. Kelly Minter says “One of the most tragic ways for a Christian to spend her life is to be in the right place with all the right resources but without a willing heart.” When we obey, no matter how unusual God’s instructions we create a foundation for the work of Christ to be evidenced through our actions. We are living witnesses that he abides in us. Matthew 7:24 says “Everyone who hears my words and obeys them is like a wise man who built his house on rock”. What are you building your house on? Are you obedient when you hear his voice? I want to challenge you today to be obedient. To be “ready, willing and able” when called.

Oh, by the way, do you know where that saying came from? “Ready, Willing and Able” was filmed in 1937. Its’ stars included Ruby Keeler and Ross Alexander. A movie about mistaken identity, it features “Jane” a young lady who wants to make it on Broadway who is mistakenly thought to be the real “Jane Clark”. Through all its twists and turns, we learn that it is better to tell those you love, who you really are, than try to get away with who you are not. Catch it sometime on TCM.

Since then, we have coined the phrase “ready, willing and able” when talking about our government, our charitable foundations, our military and a whole host of take charge entities, all “ready, willing and able” to step in at a moments notice.

I want to be “ready, willing and able”, ready to hear God’s voice, willing to obey and able to serve at a moments notice. How about you? Philippians 2:17 says “Your faith makes you offer your lives as a sacrifice in serving God.” I want to be a living sacrifice, serving God daily. Ready, willing and able.