Dear Lord; Good morning Father!
On my way to a client’s office this morning, I was listening to the local contemporary Christian radio station and they were airing a piece about an outreach program they’d conducted a couple weeks ago. During the clip they played, one of the participants was discussing how wonderful it was that You used that event to reach out to those who were in need.
That got me thinking Father… The idea of “being used” usually has such a negative connotation in the context of our earthly relationships, and yet as Christians we yearn for You to use us.
If we examine Your Word, we find that even Your enemies are used to accomplish Your Works. For example, in the story of Exodus You not only used Moses to bring the Israelites out of bondage in Egypt, but You also used Pharaoh as well :
“Then the LORD said to Moses, “See, I have made you like God to Pharaoh, and your brother Aaron will be your prophet. You are to say everything I command you, and your brother Aaron is to tell Pharaoh to let the Israelites go out of his country. But I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, and though I multiply my signs and wonders in Egypt, he will not listen to you. Then I will lay my hand on Egypt and with mighty acts of judgment I will bring out my divisions, my people the Israelites. And the Egyptians will know that I am the LORD when I stretch out my hand against Egypt and bring the Israelites out of it.”” – Exodus 7:1-5 (NIV)
By manipulating Pharaoh and hardening his heart, You used him to make Your Might known to the Egyptians. Even those that stand against you in doubt and defiance may be used for Your Purpose.
For those who follow You however Father, there is no greater joy than being used for Your Divine Works; to be Your emissary, Your instrument and Your servant.
Use me Lord. Lead me. Let me be Your Hands. Let me shine Your Light for all to see. This is my prayer, today and every day.
Amen.
~Phather Phil
Hi, I’m Phil Malmstrom, a.k.a. Phather Phil. I’m self-employed, father of two wonderful young men, an ordained minister who delights in spreading Jesus’ Message of Hope and Love, a science-fiction junkie, an aspiring photographer and above all that one of God’s Children who rejoices in His Blessings each day. 
Oh this is my heart’s cry: “Use me Lord. Lead me. Let me be Your Hands. Let me shine Your Light for all to see. This is my prayer, today and every day.”
There is a song that says “if You can use anything, Lord, You can use me.” I am nothing. Little ole me. But God can use me anyway! How wonderful!
Thank you Jenifer. I can think of no greater thrill than being in God’s Service. 🙂
Have a Blessed Day!
Amen! I pray that God can use me and that I will always be open to being used by Him.
That’s my prayer as well Alida. 🙂
Have a Blessed Day!
This is my prayer too! What good are we in this world if we are no good to Him? He is our reason for living.
He is indeed Allison!
Have a Blessed Day!
We all want to be used by God and so many times we have the chance to be used but at times we miss the mark where we could of been used by God. Maybe it’s because we look for pretty things something that is not going to require us to come out of our homes or go to a house we don’t feel comfortable in the area. Or to talk to certain people because they aren’t apart of what we believe. It reminds me of a song that says if you can use anything in me Lord use me…but the moment God shows us a homeless person or a person in jail or on drugs we ignore it and hope someone else will minister to them. Because we don’t think that God would actually send us to places like that. We can not put God in a box. Christ Himself never stayed where it was comfortable.
Good Post! Sorry for making it so long.
Absolutely Desiray. We should all look outside our “comfort zones” and see where we can truly be in His Service.
Have a Blessed Day!
You’re right, the phrase “being used” does have negative connotation. But not with God. He made us to use us. I want to be fully used by God. Like Jenifer said, if you can use anything Lord, you can use me.
Absolutely Lisa! I just found it odd when I started thinking about the usage of the word “used”, and how yet in the context of God’s Kingdom, there’s no greater purpose than to be His Instrument.
Have a Blessed Day!
Amen… “Use me Lord. Lead me. Let me be Your Hands. Let me shine Your Light for all to see. This is my prayer, today and every day.” That says it all for me too!
Thank you Heidi! May we all serve His Plan for us, and follow in Christ’s example.
Have a Blessed Day!
HA, as soon as I read the title my mind went to the negative connotation. Lately God has been ‘using” me to help another person and hate to admit it I didn’t feel joy or thankfulness. My attitude was beginning to stink. Your prayer this morning reset my compass and focus. Thank you Phil..
Thank you Jean! I’ve been in that position as well, and I understand the feelings you describe. However if we look at it from being used for His Purposes, then the entire meaning behind the term takes on a new and joyous life.
Have a Blessed Day!
Yes, it is very interesting how the world looks differently at the concept of being used. I desire to be used by Him as well. He desires to work through us. I want to be open for this every day!
That’s my prayer as well Eileen. 🙂
Have a Blessed Day!