"Getting Our Big 'Buts' out of the Way"

On Monday night our doorbell rang. It was Seth Zellers. Seth is a high school senior in our Living Hope family and a part of our Teen FUEL ministry. He had called me the week before to see if he could do a Knife demonstration for us. So, Monday evening, I sat down for his sales pitch. I respect any young man who takes the initiative to work, but I was curious about for what he was working. So I asked, "Why did you take this job?" I expected him to say the usual..."I'm saving money for college" or "I'm saving up for a car" or "I want to go to Florida for Spring Break with my friends." However, that was not Seth's response. Seth said,"This is how i am going to pay my way to go on the Expedition Ukraine Trip."

To be honest, from that point on, Seth could have been selling poop and I would have listened intently and bought it. Something inside of me jumped up and down and sang praises to God! "That young man, is one of our own," I thought to myself. He could be making a lot of plans for a lot of things for the summer after he graduates and he is out selling knives to make sure he can serve orphans. I pray that Seth never looses his ability to hear God's voice nor the willingness to do whatever he has to do to follow God's call.

Let's face it...I bet there are at least another 50 or more people in our church family who have said, "I would like to go and serve orphans and street children in Ukraine, but..." I wonder how often our big BUTS get in God's way? I wonder how often our big buts keep us from experiencing first hand God's personal power, provision, peace and presence. I wonder how often our big buts keep us sitting on our butts, when God had planned to use our hands and feet to bring his hope to the hurting.

If the Story of God teaches us anything it is that the difference between those who see God work in real ways in their every days lives are those who surrender all their "buts" and just say, "yes!"

Think about it...
Had Noah said, "but," the world would have come to an underwater-end...
Had Abraham said, "but," he would have died believing he and his wife were
infertile...
Had Joseph said, "but," he would have never seen how God can take what the
Devil means to use as evil and turn it around for good...
Had Moses said, "but", the story of God's people would have ended in slavery...
Had Joshua said, "but," God's people would have missed the promised land...
Had Daniel said, "but," he never would have known that God can keep lions
mouths shut..

Had Esther said, "but," she would have been comfortable in the palace and her
people would have been dead...
Had Isaiah said, "but," we would never have seen Jesus centuries before he was
born...
Had the 12 disciples said, "but", the truth of Jesus would have ended with
their generation...
Had Paul said, "but," only Jews would have been given the opportunity to know
the life -changing love of Christ...
Had Seth Zellers said, "but" he would not be going to Expedition Ukraine and who
knows what of God he and orphans would have missed out on...
Had Pastor Ryan Riddell said "but" he would not be preparing for an interview
with Diane Sawyer to help children aging out of foster care have an
opportunity other than homelessness (www.30dayshomeless.TV)

What "buts" have been getting in the way of the story God has for you? What "buts" are getting in the way of what God wants to do in your life? What "buts" of yours and mine are keeping others form experiencing the love of Christ first hand?